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Have you tried giving him Melatonin? It can be found in small doses ant Walmart(.33) and it goes up from there. Alot of people are using it with success and it is over the counter natural sleep aid.Yes, I use alternatives. Jessica N39908.3662615741We do give him Melatonin every night.  It definitely helps him go to sleep, but  not to keep him asleep.How much Melatonin is he taking?  If the dose is too high, it can cause really vivid dreams.  Is he able to articulate what is waking him up? Since my last post about Greg's sleep issues, he has shown some improvement.  He went for a week and a half with sleeping in until 6:30 every day, which is awesome for him!  Unfortunately, on Thursday morning, Greg got up at 5 a.m. and refused to go back to sleep.  Friday was even worse...he got up at 1:53 a.m.!!!!  I was furious!  He was screaming, "It's time to get up!" at the top of his lungs.  We show him the clock.  We tell him it's the middle of the night.  He just doesn't get it.  It was awful.  His twin sister gets woken up, too, because of his screaming, and then we have two screaming 4 year olds up at 2 in the morning!
Anyway, I think I figured out his issue...on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, we gave Greg his short acting liquid med, Methylin, at about 2:00.  We have found that the 10 mg of Metadate that he takes wears off at about 2, and he can be a beast after that, so we gave him the Methylin because we were having guests and couldn't have him acting crazy.  Anyway, I think that's what causes him to wake up early in the mornings.
Our issue is this:  We love the Metadate.  From 6:30 a.m. until about 2:00 p.m., he's a different kid.  Unfortunately, the med wears off then, and he becomes a beast again.  We tried 20 mg of Metadate, but it was too much...he just cried and cried all day.  If we give him two 10s, that works, but keeps him up at night and causes him to wake up early.
At this point, we're not sure what to do.  Do any of you find that the medicine wears off early in the afternoon?  How do you make it through the night?  I'd appreciate any advice you can give!
[QUOTE=KelliTwins]Since my last post about Greg's sleep issues, he has shown some improvement.  He went for a week and a half with sleeping in until 6:30 every day, which is awesome for him!  Unfortunately, on Thursday morning, Greg got up at 5 a.m. and refused to go back to sleep.  Friday was even worse...he got up at 1:53 a.m.!!!!  I was furious!  He was screaming, "It's time to get up!" at the top of his lungs. 

I'm sorry I had to laugh at this one and someday maybe you will too. Reminds me of an ADHD kid on Christmas morning waking up the household except--it wasn't Christmas

Does he have anything 'special' around he could play with instead of driving you all bonkers and setting the house into uproar if he wakes up? This might take some training...and unfortunately, some sleepless nights for you.

We show him the clock.  We tell him it's the middle of the night.  He just doesn't get it.  It was awful.

No, he probably doesn't. His timeclock is defective but he thinks everyone else is on the wrong schedule.

His twin sister gets woken up, too, because of his screaming, and then we have two screaming 4 year olds up at 2 in the morning!

That's got to be utterly crazymaking

Anyway, I think I figured out his issue...on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, we gave Greg his short acting liquid med, Methylin, at about 2:00.  We have found that the 10 mg of Metadate that he takes wears off at about 2, and he can be a beast after that, so we gave him the Methylin because we were having guests and couldn't have him acting crazy.  Anyway, I think that's what causes him to wake up early in the mornings.

Ah ha Watson! Methinks you have solved the mystery!

Our issue is this:  We love the Metadate.  From 6:30 a.m. until about 2:00 p.m., he's a different kid.  Unfortunately, the med wears off then, and he becomes a beast again.  We tried 20 mg of Metadate, but it was too much...he just cried and cried all day.  If we give him two 10s, that works, but keeps him up at night and causes him to wake up early.

What about a 10 and a 5? Or asking the doc for something short term for 2pm so he isn't awake all night?

At this point, we're not sure what to do.  Do any of you find that the medicine wears off early in the afternoon?  How do you make it through the night?  I'd appreciate any advice you can give!
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You're still in the process of trial and error, unfortunately. I suggest putting a Med Diary with date, time, dosages and behavioural results on your computer. Then you can print it off for the doc as well as keep track yourselves on what improves or declines over a period of time.

It also might help you track all the variables so you can adjust as necessary--thus giving you some control of possible outcomes.