Any SPD mommas who can give advice on sleep - Page 2

[lcisne]

I read some stuff about circadian rhythms somewhere where the author claimed that children will often sleep better and sleep longer if you basically aim to put them to sleep when the sun goes down - i.e., you turn off all of the lights in the house before sundown and do not have any artificial lighting at all if possible, or only lights that mimic moonlight ... I have been working up to this, but it's so much earlier than my son usually goes to sleep that I haven't really been able to do this yet successfully ... I wonder if anyone has ever tried it and/or if you think it really works?

[Momma Aimee]

i know day lights saving time messes wiht him a lot

I need to read up on adrenal issues i know nothing

[milkmamamerina]

here's a link for heavy work activities: http://www.sensory-processing-disord...ctivities.html
The whole site is very informative.

I made my son a weighted blanket for about half the cost of purchasing one. I'm not an accomplished sewer, but a friend of mine let me use her machine and I was able to make it in 3 afternoons. Here is the pattern .
http://www.davidsblanket.com/downloa...structions.pdf

The heavy work and weighted blanket both helped tremendously for my son but seemed to lose effectiveness over time.

Another thing to consider is getting rid of preservatives, artificial colors and flavors. We thought my four year old was SPD and then possibly ADHD as symptoms continued. Less than 48 hours after omitting BHT laden Wheat Chex my son was like a new child (during both the day and night). He still wakes once a night but it had been 2-3 times just prior to the diet change.
www.feingold.org is the informational website, but the best place to start is here:
http://www.feingold.org/BLUEBOOK.pdf

[KimPM]

Have you ever had him tested for food allergies and sensitvities?

[oceanbluemomma]

Are you seeing an alternative doc or biomedical?

Is he taking any supplements?
What foods are eaten?
What is he taking for reflux?

Melatonin is a great option if you are not dealing with intestinal or esph. issues. If you are dealing with those issues than making his body stay asleep when it wants to move to move the possible acid, food allergy or sensitivity, bile, etc can worsen those conditions. It is not as simple as popping a pill in this case.

If I can get more info I can see if I can get you some guidance.

My husband is doing a talk on this at AutismOne this year.

Linda

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by lcisne

I read some stuff about circadian rhythms somewhere where the author claimed that children will often sleep better and sleep longer if you basically aim to put them to sleep when the sun goes down - i.e., you turn off all of the lights in the house before sundown and do not have any artificial lighting at all if possible, or only lights that mimic moonlight ... I have been working up to this, but it's so much earlier than my son usually goes to sleep that I haven't really been able to do this yet successfully ... I wonder if anyone has ever tried it and/or if you think it really works?

one thing i do know -- is my 2nd child is liek the sun -- he WILL go to sleep at sundown (or before) no matter what the rest of the family wants to go (ie go to dinner, a church evernt, or whatever). and boy if you try to NOT help him, whooooot.

But now that little one has to go to bed, Theo has to too -- since i have to parent them both to bed. welllll Theo is making some real imporvement in sleep ....meletion NIGHTLY on the rec of teh dev ped, and going to bed at 6 ort 6:30 every night --- and things are better.

less nightmares (recently so far, who knows if we will have another "cycle of them"). Only waking 3 times a night usally ...

he is not being treated for reflux now ... but he is very self limited on his food,. i am keeping a journal now -- with a prep to do fONGOLD as a test -- and i will post a normal list in a few days.

Melton does help him GET to sleep ... he was taking soooo long to get to sleep he was stressing out about it -- and THAt made the whole night worse -- but my understanding is it doesn't help him stay asleep -- i certainly see a differnce in his sleep with metoinon and the once in a while bendrill that is a more drugged sleep.

milkmamamerina -- we are gonna buckel down on the diet.

we are also having new assessments -- speech, PT, OT and if i can find someone Mental. We will no doubt see the Dev ped again in the late summer (year mark from last appt)

thanks everyone for all the reading ....

[hadleys_mom]

Its a long shot but does he have enough iron in his diet? My SPD DD (6) had never slept through the night and woke 3-4 times a night, needing help to get back to sleep. We changed her to a multi with iron when we found out she was anemic and after 2 days on it, she was sleeping through the night, every night.

[Kailey's mom]

We make dd her "mele-milk" everynight. It's her elecare, mixed with 3 mg meletonin lol. I make 12 ounces and I give it to her around 10pm. I have to hold her, while rubbing or scratching her back and she is asleep within an hour on a good night. She drinks it slowly throughout the night, that is why I make so much, and when she drinks it slowly throughout the night, she stays asleep. If she gulps it down, than I will make another cup of mele-milk and make sure it's next to her in bed, on those nights she is gettting 6 mgs of meletonin total. Her doc is fine with this, and it's the only way she will sleep. It has been MONTHS since I've given her 6mgs.. I delay giving her the meletonin until I'm sure she is to the point of being very tired. On good nights, she can sleep 8 hours now that is about 3 nights/week.. the other nights she'll sleep for 6.

[K-Mom3]

I have a friend whose ASD child would NOT SLEEP and they got a dog. Now the kid sleeps with the dog and is a GREAT sleeper. She couldn't believe it but it completely fixed the problem.

[NamastePlatypus]

I totally get the dog thing!

As anyones LO's gotten nightmares or sleep walk with Melationin. It has that effect on my youngest, I had to stop.

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by NamastePlatypus

I totally get the dog thing!

As anyones LO's gotten nightmares or sleep walk with Melationin. It has that effect on my youngest, I had to stop.

no actually Mel -- making bedtime so much less stress for him -- reduced anxiety adn we have LESS nightmares.

however -- about 4x a year we DO have a "spell" of constant nightmares -- up to 8 and 9 weeks of a spell in the past or as short as 2 weeks. outside out nightmare tiems he has little or no probem with them.

2 sleep walking "happenings" ever -- and they may or maynot have actually bee sleep walking -- i think they were and Dh says nope