Getting these children to sleep!

[FallingApart]

Does anyone have a child who consistently sleeps through the night? Who gets the appropriate amount of sleep for their age? If so, can you share any tips on how you are accomplishing this?

 

Are people using supplements? Are you using Benadryl? How often are you using this? Does anyone know how long melatonin stays in your system? Meaning, should it keep your child asleep through the night? Or does it just help them to fall asleep?

 

When DD is in a PANDAS episode, Benadryl has an excitable effect on her. Right now, she is doing ok with her PANDAS and Benadryl will sedate her, but how often can I give her Beadryl? Should I ask her ped for a sleeping med for her? Also, the Beadryl doesn't seem to keep her asleep all night long and she isn't getting a full night's sleep most nights. This is not making for a happy, rested child or a happy mom and dad.

[Suzan]

Does anyone have a child who consistently sleeps through the night? Who gets the appropriate amount of sleep for their age? If so, can you share any tips on how you are accomplishing this?

 

Are people using supplements? Are you using Benadryl? How often are you using this? Does anyone know how long melatonin stays in your system? Meaning, should it keep your child asleep through the night? Or does it just help them to fall asleep?

 

When DD is in a PANDAS episode, Benadryl has an excitable effect on her. Right now, she is doing ok with her PANDAS and Benadryl will sedate her, but how often can I give her Beadryl? Should I ask her ped for a sleeping med for her? Also, the Beadryl doesn't seem to keep her asleep all night long and she isn't getting a full night's sleep most nights. This is not making for a happy, rested child or a happy mom and dad.

 

I use melatonin every night to get my hyped up kids to sleep. We don't have much trouble once they get to sleep (at least any more but trust me I was sleep deprived for years!). I hear there is a time released melatonin that might help with staying asleep. In addition, I find that keeping the magnesium levels up this will help them sleep. Epsom Salt baths or magnesium supplements like CALM.

 

 

GOOD LUCK!

 

Susan

[FallingApart]

Wow, Susan, thank you so much for this information! I had no idea about magnesium! We will be trying this today!

 

Can you tell me how old your child is and which supplement you use specifically? Do you use Kids' Calm or something else? Do you do both Epsom salts and the supplement? Can you do too much magnesium?

 

Thanks!!

[fuelforall]

Wow, Susan, thank you so much for this information! I had no idea about magnesium! We will be trying this today!

 

Can you tell me how old your child is and which supplement you use specifically? Do you use Kids' Calm or something else? Do you do both Epsom salts and the supplement? Can you do too much magnesium?

 

Thanks!!

 

Too much magnesium gives you diarrhea. If that occurs, lower the dose. Give them as much as they can handle.

Some kids do NOT respond well to melatonin. Quit if this occurs.

5-HTP 50 to 100 mgs is also quite effective.

 

Of course, no tv or video games or anything one hour before bed.

 

My two cents.

 

Michael

[Suzan]

Wow, Susan, thank you so much for this information! I had no idea about magnesium! We will be trying this today!

 

Can you tell me how old your child is and which supplement you use specifically? Do you use Kids' Calm or something else? Do you do both Epsom salts and the supplement? Can you do too much magnesium?

 

Thanks!!

 

Yes, we use Kids Calm. It's true that too much will cause diarrhea but we have not had that trouble here. I give whatever dose it says on the container for my kids with no trouble and I do use the salts and the supplement at the same time but, when we were using the supplement, my dd was not much into baths and we weren't doing the foot soak yet so the soaks were not a daily thing.

 

One dd is 8 (67 lbs) and the other is almost 7 (43 lbs). If I'm remembering correctly I give them 1/2 tsp 2x a day for my older dd and 1/4 2x a day for my younger of the CALM and they like the lemon flavor the best. Start small and work your way up as much as they can take with no negative bowel effects. I like to take it too, it helps me sleep

 

Susan

[KeithandElizabeth]

We also use Melatonin and it does wonders in terms of helping our son to fall asleep. I was so hesitant to use it until I read Dr. Boch's book, Healing the Childhood Epidemics. He highly recommends Melatonin for sleep and adds that it is a great antioxidant for these children who have allergies, asthma, Pandas, Autism and Aspergers. I am not sure if it helps with keeping our son to sleep - just falling asleep. I hear inositol is also beneficial for sleep as well as OCD.

 

Elizabeth

[colleenrn]

What dose do yo give your kids of melatonin? I also use it with my kids and it helps so much. They fight sleep, they are light sleepers, they wake up during the night, they are restless sleepers. melatonin helps them a lot, but I have always wondered if I am giving the wrong dose.

Thanks,

Colleen

[Suzan]

What dose do yo give your kids of melatonin? I also use it with my kids and it helps so much. They fight sleep, they are light sleepers, they wake up during the night, they are restless sleepers. melatonin helps them a lot, but I have always wondered if I am giving the wrong dose.

Thanks,

Colleen

 

We have worked our way up to 2.5 mg a night. When they were smaller, when I was more nervous about giving it to them (using it because I was desperate but didn't tell anyone), I would break it apart and give them just enought to get them to sleep. Our doctors know about it now and I have their agreement that it is safe to use so I'm glad about that!

 

I have heard of people giving up to 5 mg a night but we have never needed that much.

 

Susan

[KeithandElizabeth]

We give the 3 mg. sublingual (under the tongue).

[colleenrn]

I use the sublingual (brand is Source Naturals). I break a 2.5 mg in half, so I give my boys 1.25mg. I do not give it to my daughter, who is 13, every night, but when I do, I give her the whole 2.5. It works incredibly well.

 

Colleen

[Suzan]

I use the sublingual (brand is Source Naturals). I break a 2.5 mg in half, so I give my boys 1.25mg. I do not give it to my daughter, who is 13, every night, but when I do, I give her the whole 2.5. It works incredibly well.

 

Colleen

 

That's what we use too, the pepermint flavor. I may start to split mine in half again. I bet my girls don't need a whole one any more. I use a 2.5 every night for myself. Otherwise, I can't turn off my mind to go to sleep either!

 

Susan

[colleenrn]

I have given the whole 2.5 before, but they respond the same to half, so that is what I started giving them. I also take the whole 2.5 every night! I recently realized there was an orange flavored one b/c I bought it by mistake. They like the orange better.

 

Colleen

[dee45]

Where can this be purchased? Just curious. ANthony's problem is not falling asleep but staying asleep he wakes having horrible nightmares do you think this can work?

 

Deanna

[mom md]

The other good option is gabapentin which is available by perscription. It is a "other nerologic" drug and is used for seizure disorders and neuralgia. When we thought my son had restless leg syndrome prior to the PANDAS diagnosis it was perscribed. It really helped him sleep and is safe. I spoke to someone the other night and it inhibits dopamine (which is high in these kids) and can help. Ultimately is did not cure our issue (PEXdid) but it helped his body rest and heal.

melatonin helped my son fall asleep but not stay asleep.

[Kayanne]

Not really related to PANDAS but....my niece and nephew were not good sleepers, and it took a few years to discover that they were dealing with acid reflux....so maybe there could be another underlying medical condition.