My child has a very hard time sleeping! | ADHD Information

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Hi, I must be quick because I have to leave to get my kids...

Have you thought that the adderall might not be right for him?  My 10 yr old son uses the Daytrana patch and we take it off at about 1-3 int he afternoon.  so the meds can be gone. He seems to benefit from the meds for at least a couple more hours.

My husband did a trial and settled on focalin.. When he tried adderall he said he almost lost his mind and freaked out a movie. 

My son also tried vyvnace and had horrible rebound, super bad anger and worse sleep issues.

I think the body chemistry is very unique and you have to find just the right mix of things.

btw, how is your bedtime routine?  We start at 7 with baths, one final eating, teeth, and laying in bed reading, talking and cuddling. No tv.  After a while a routine can be helpful.  (not to imply you are doing anything bad).

Good luck, stick with it, I hope we can all be of some comfort.

My2miracles and geeeeno: I love the idea of keeping a journal about his daily activities and how he sleeps.  That had never occurred to me, but I think it's a brilliant idea.  It would help me to keep everything organized and prepred when we do get to see the doctor. 

He gets his meds at 7 o'clock every morning. I don't really have a problem with giving up sleep on the weekends because my 16 mo old is up at 5 am every morning.  To be honest, he was having these problems well before he started taking this medication.  It's gotten a little worse, I think, due to the medication.  Is it maybe because he has adhd?  And again, he runs until the time that he crashes.  He's just got so much energy.

I think you two are on to something with the routine at bedtime.  Our routine is what I cling to, and I do think that we have a much smoother evening when we stick to our routine. 

geeeeno, we've only tried a few different meds, so we trying something new might really help.  He's tried conerta, and focalin, aside from the adderall he's on now.  He's was very aggressive, very mean with the vyvanse, and he would rebound from it terribly around 4 or 5 in the evening.  He was then so hyper that he was bouncing off the walls and uncntollable .  I would be open to trying something  new for the sake of having sleep back in our lives. 

Thank you so much for responding to this. I appreciate so much the feedback and support.  I'm glad to have found this place

 

Another thing I find my son needs along with routine is we have a daily routine "list" printed and posted at various places in the house.... so HE knows what too expect next..

get dressed

make bed

eat breakfast

take med

brush teeth

etc...etc...etc.....

My four year old son has just recently been diagnsed with ADHD.  He was put on Adderall XR 15 mg, and then we were refered to psychiatrist for his sleeping problems. 

The problem is that he has a very hard time going to sleep.  I always lay him down for bed at around 9 pm.  It varies from night to night, but it may take him a couple hours to go to sleep, or he might stay awake until 4 am. IF he would just lay in the bed beside me and watch a movie, I could handle the situation a little better.  He doesn't just lay.  He runs..... a lot....moving.... playing....getting into EVERYTHING!  I worry that there is a safety issue here when I fall asleep.  I can't stay up all night and get up with the baby at 5 am who is ready to start her day.   Oh ya, and if he falls aleep at 11 or 12 pm, then he will most likely wake up for 2 or 3 hours during the night to run around the house because he can't sleep.

The pediatritian perscribed claunadine to help him sleep.  He had a horrible, unusual reaction to it. We had to rush him to the ER at one in the morning because he was hallucinating.  He thought bugs were attacking and eating him.  He would scream, run around the house frantic, and was drawing blood from scratching off the "bugs".  So, needless to say, that drug is a no-go. The psychiatrist did prescrib him resperidone for the rage and anger he was experiencing on a day to day basis.  He said it would help with sleep..... well it has not.  The resperidone has worked wonders for his anger and violent outbursts, but not really anything for sleep.  He doesn't want to prescribe anything else because he is only four.  I get that.  I totally understand that it's not desireable to prescribe a four year old medication to help him sleep.  But, this has been going on for so long now, and I feel like I'm at my wits end with all of this.  He said there is no medication that could be given to him because of his age to help him sleep.  Really?  Nothing?  So, I'm stunned and feeling so hopeless.

By the way, I should add we've tried Benedryl, antihistimines, melatonine (in all different kinds of doses), night-time cold medicines to help him sleep.  We've eliminated sugar and caffiene COMPLETELY from his diet. We've tried a few different herbal suppliments from the store all to no avail.  AND, he's on a multi-vitamin to make sure he gets everything he needs.

I've went back to my pediatrician for advice, and she's going to see if there are anymore options out there for us to try.  I will not go back to that psychiatrist.

I'm exhausted (I have four kids, one of which has also been diagnosed with ADHD, Asbergers, OCD, PDD).  I'm just desperate for some advice or suggestions... or really just to know that there is someone else like my boy is struggling in the same way.  Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Has anyone else had these sleeping problems similar to our experiences?  I appreciate, in advance, anything you might have to offer :o)

Im in Canada so it may be a bit different for me then you, but im not sure... He is 11 now and our journey started when he was 5. and I just finally got the right result's last year, so it took 5 year's before he was diagnoised correctly. If I knew then what I know now I could have made that wait alot shorter but I myself had no answers.

My suggestion too you is too ask his pediatrician for a referral too a doctor who specializes in ADHD/OCD/Anxiety. I looked on the pill bottle this morning and the correct spelling is Co-Clomipramine and it is 10mg ....warning it is in the anti-depressant family however is used as well for sleep disorders and OCD/Anxiety.

 

This is why I searched for a support outlet, because I really feel "alone" and not too be rude but I felt maybe I was the only one dealing with this at home, and like you, I am very glad too hear I am not alone, even though I wouldn't wish those sleepless night's on anyone, it is nice too know someone might understand what I am going through.

the doctor he see's now is a doctor who specializes in ADHD/OCD/Anxiety and is located in the mental health facility at our local hospital. Don't let the "mental health" part scare you off, it is just a fancy term for these doctors too get paid a little more lol.

 

he started taking the med in September 2010 and has NEVER woken us up since. He used too wake us up 3-4 times a NIGHT because he could not sleep. it is frusterrating for them as well, they WANT too sleep but just can't seem too shut their brains off, the way our doctor explained it is when you have OCD and Anxiety random things just keep running through your mind, and when you want too sleep and you keep runnning over the events of the day or even a song in your head, your body just cannot relax enough too fall asleep.

 

I hope this help's. if you have any other question's feel free to ask. I will PM you my email as well. goodluck!!

 

 

My2Miracles40575.3299884259My son has/has had the same issues, it took alot of trial and error before we found the right meds. it sounds too me like your son may have OCD/Anxiety (troubles falling asleep, he can't shut his mind off) this is what my son was finally diagnoised with. He take's clompermine (sp?) now and it has really made a differance.Hello there, My2miracles. Great to hear from you. I am so glad to hear that there's someone else like my son out there.  I'm also glad to hear that you found a medication and a doctor that has helped him.  That is such a relief for your family, I'm sure.  I've researched online to find out what medication could even be given to a young child, and you know there just isn't a whole lot of information on the subject.  I will keep that drug in mind.  Do you mind me asking if it was difficult to get him help? I'm just having a hard time finding a doctor that wants to prescribe him anything because of his age.  (which I do understand....) You are probably right about the OCD.  I have suspected as much.  I was curious, if you're ok with saying, what kind of a doctor finally was able to help your son?  Was the doctor super reluctant?  I just hope my pediatrician will finally be able to refer me to a doctor is able to help. Thanks so much for your feedback. You really have given me something to cling to,
My2miracles. I, at least, now have a drug that I can run
with and am hopeful that it might work for my boy. It's
good to know that there is something out there that could
help him. I broke down and just cried yesterday, telling
my husband, that I think I finally "get it"... that there
is no one easy fix for all of this. It's gonna take some
time to find a doctor, and then the right medicine. AND
then, you have to worry about side-effects. I think that
I'm going to really have some patience for all of this.
My doctor has wanted to admit him to an inpatient
children's psych ward, because they said the doctors in
there could help him with his meds... but I just can't
allow that. If they would let me stay with him every
minute, then I would be ok. They won't though, and
instead want to keep him for several days to observe his
behavior without me allowed to stay. So, we'll have to
take a different route.

Well, I'm very grateful for all of your help. You have
been such a blessing to hear from. Like you, I am just
so glad to have someone to talk to about this and to have
someone who can relate. I needed some hope, and you've
given me some!

omg that just brought tears too my eyes! there is NO reason why such a young child would need too be held in a psych ward for observation unless he was a threat too himself or other's! wow I am SO sorry ((((HUGS))))) it sound's too me like you have a doctor who dosent know jack sh*t about ADHD/OCD and anxiety  (sorry just my opinion) and what I would suggest is looking in the phone book, or googling  doctors in your area that specialize in those disabilities.

 

it is a very long and tiring road too travel, trust me I know. I know the hurt and pain your feeling, I know the frusterration, and I know how helpless you feel wanting too help your child in any way possible and just not having enough resources too do so. If I lived closer I would walk right over and give you a BIG HUG cause I know how upsetting this is!

Right now you need too be your childs own advocate. Fight for him, DEMAND answers. dont back down. if he is having troubles in school request a meeting with his teacher and principal and talk about getting a psyco education evaluation done . it is a series of written and verbal tests that the school therapist do too see exactly what areas he needs help in. and if he is falling behind in some areas request an IEP (individual educational plan) so that he will be graded on HIS expectations and what is expected of HIM and not on a curve with 30 other kids.

keep searching until you find a doctor that is right for your son.  and if something isnt working dont be afraid too bring it too the doctors attention. I wish you luck, if there is ANYTHING I can do, please let me know!!

I totally agree! I thought they were insane for suggesting that I leave my son in a psych ward.  Each time that they have suggested it, and I turn them down, the doctor seems to understand at the time, but then they keep asking.... augh!  The nurse said, "No doctor has ever observed him (not sleeping, running around the house), it's just been you."  It's like she was implying that if they could actually witness what was happening with him, then the psych doctor could actually prescribe him something to help. Again... augh!  Although I need help for him soon, I just can't leave him in a place like that.

When you were talking about the emotions that parents face with all of this, it's like I was reading from something I would've written.  I do see that you really do understand.  I think there is a lot of emotions that any parent feels in this situation. It's just really good to talk to someone that understands.  I'm getting in some good practice on being patient, that's for sure.

One of my biggest fears, before I talked with you, is that we would never find a doctor that would help, or that we would never find the a medication that would help. I feel more confident in the road ahead now.  I'm just going to hang on!  Thanks for everything.

your welcome!

 

another suggestion would be too keep a journal (until you can get into a specialist) that way you have some concrete evidence too show him/her the patterns. in the journal write down your sons behaviours each day, write downhow many times he wakes during the night, or what time he finally fell asleep etc...

 

what time does your son take his ADHD meds? I have found with my son that no matter what he get's his meds by 7:30am because the meds usually wear off in 12 hours. so the later in the day he gets the meds that means the later in the day they will wear off. so if he isnt getting them til 9am or 9:30am or even later then the meds are still in his system that late at night as well. I know this means no sleeping in, even on weekends, but it is a sacrifice im willing too make in order too make sure the meds wear off at a reasonable hour.

 

now that being said this means night time can bring some issues. the meds have worn off, he becomes a little more hyper etc... I use this time, for things like Bath time (let him soak in a nice warm bath it will help relax him!) or make this time for hands on activities like puzzles, or finger painting, or even playdough. if he has a structured activity too do from the time the pill wears off until it is time for his bedtime routine, it will make the evenings less stressfull.

Patience is a vertue...if you find yourself getting frusterrated, either tag off with your husband (let him step in while you go take a walk or a hot shower) or if no one else is home turn on the TV for your son for a few minutes while you go too the bathroom and have a 3 minutes "time out" for yourself. Try not too let him see you get upset.... He will think this is his fault and technically it isnt so we dont want him too feel that way. if you ever need someone too talk too you have my email now, email me anytime I am here too listen :)