12 yr DD Sleep Anxiety | ADHD Information

12 yr old daughter with ADHD will NOT sleep without me. This has gone on
for 5 yrs. Obviously this is more than ADHD, but what? She is fine during
the day, but is so very afraid at night. I kept thinking she will outgrow this,
but it's no better. This is taking toll on my health (don't sleep well in her
bed). We have tried it all--except a TV in her room. I am desperate.
Husband thinks we should force her to stay in her room alone. We've tried
this and I see real panic in her eyes. It's heartbreaking.
Please advise is your have any experience with this.
Also-she is not medicated for ADHD. She took meds for 2 yrs, but
developed blinking tic and had to stop med.
THank you and please help.

Dear happy2bemom

Is she fine going to school, etc without you?  My son has seperation anxiety (age 10) and has had since he was a toddler.  He was having panic attacks when being left at school, parent's night out, and sleeping alone.  He is now taking an antidepressant and doing soooo much better.

Can she verbalize specifically what she is afraid of when sleeping alone?  Anxiety often exists along with ADHD.

 

 

 

Both of my girls at one point in their life slept in my room with me.   They both moved back into their own rooms somewhere around 12 but I don't remember exactly.   She will get to the point where she feels comfortable in her own room.

Have you tried having her sleep on the floor of your room?   For a long time, we had a second mattress on the floor.  That allowed them to be in our room without being in the bed.
DD was the same with or without meds as far as sleep. It all started in 3rd
grade when our car was broken into in our driveway during the night and
she ran out there to listen in as we talked with the sheriff.
During the day it's the opposite....you know the teenage attitude where they
don't want to be seen with us? She loves to go places without me actually.

Was it the same when she was on meds? Or is this just since she stopped the meds?  What does she say about not wanting to sleep in her room?

My niece used to need her mom to lay down with her to go to sleep, and
then would awake in the middle of the night and go into her parents bed.
She stopped at age 12. She was not diagnosed with anything but was a bit
of a "chicken". My 8 year old needs me to lay down with her to fall asleep
and just within the last 6 months has stopped climbing in our bed in the
middle of the night. I think this will eventually pass as she gets older just as
my niece's did. Good Luck!