10 year old Aspie having trouble getting to sleep

[chris's girl]

DS10 has always sort of challenged bedtime by a lot. He has trouble shutting down, but it was manageable until lately. Now he is in our room just about every night, saying he can't relax.

His pacing has gotten worse. He does it at meal times, which causes stress because we live with my parents right now and my mom does not want him eating all over the house. The pacing at bedtime is getting worse too. At night to help the kids unwind we put on Adventures in Odyssey. This helps them stay in bed, making the situation with having our 9 person family in 3 bedrooms more manageable. I find find DS up at the computer, though. He's messing with it or just staring at it, even though there's not much on the screen with an audio file. I tried music, which works when he's in our bedroom, but not in his. He's now become obsessed with the 11 o'clock hour. He thinks if he doesn't go to sleep by then it's just really bad, even though we've never told him that.

To be clear, he is not afraid of anything except not sleeping. He's not having nightmares or saying he's afraid of his room. We've talked about it.

Melatonin works really well. But we stopped using it when we read that younger DS's sleepwalking could be caused by it, and that some have suggested that melatonin use before puberty might delay its onset. Drugs always have worse side effects.

Any advice?

[Cindyg]

I was just going to suggest Melatonin. I'm not sure I'd take the 10YO off it because a younger sibling is sleep walking (If I understood that correctly).

 

My ds has been on Melatonin from age 6 to 14. I've asked numerous doctors if this is OK; all have said it is.

[MomatHWTK]

If melatonin works, it's a much better option (IMO) than the other medical options. My DD developed a slight rash after taking melatonin for several days in a row, it could have just been something in that brand but I decided to switch her. She now uses Calm Forte. It's not quite as effective, but no rash.

 

Ds' sleeplessness became very severe and developed into night terrors so we've had to go with a prescription medication. He has about 3 dx going on right now though.

[chris's girl]

Thank you both for your replies.

 

Cindy, we took older DS off because of the puberty thing. Seeing that younger DS was seeming to have side effects worried us into thinking that the puberty delay could also be true. It seems an awfully personal question, but your DS has progressed normally in that department then?

 

MomatHWTK, I agree with you that melatonin is a better option than drugs. I guess I just need to put him back on it. I'm sorry to hear about your DS. :(. I'm wondering if all this stuff maybe has a connection to puberty?

[dsmith]

I have not read any connection between melatonin and puberty delay. Our own bodies produce melatonin. I’ll have to investigate this further, but ds has had melatonin for a few years, and puberty is proceeding at normal pace around here. As far as the sleepwalking with younger child, it could be a dosage issue, but some kids are just prone to sleepwalking. Too much melatonin may make it worse though. If you want to try melatonin with your 10 year old, I suggest starting at a very low dose, and having off nights. I give our ds 1/2 mg of melatonin a night, but skip the weekends. The most I have ever given him is 1mg, but he gets crazy dreams at that dose. Interactive electronics are cut off an hour before bedtime, but music or tv on low is ok. Nothing too exciting though. On a really rough night I will read aloud to him. Once the melatonin is given, the lights are put on low. It usually takes about 15 - 30 minutes for him to settle down for sleep.

[Cindyg]

It seems an awfully personal question' date=' but your DS has progressed normally in that department then? [/quote']

 

Yes. I wouldn't want to say anything more because it might embarrass him. But I think everything is moving along just fine. :) I will tell you this -- Melatonin is not the magic bullet it used to be for him. But we have no plans to discontinue it. We've actually increased the dose as he's gotten bigger.

[AmyinMD]

My ASD son has had lots of sleep issues. We just started using Natural Calm a couple weeks ago and it has really helped.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Vitality-Calm-Rasp-Lemon-powder/dp/B000WVY4PE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329766362&sr=8-2

 

The other supplement recommended by ds's doctor is if the magnesium in the Natural Calm didn't help was to use 5-HTP. I don't think we'll need to add it though.

 

We also use melatonin but haven't needed it near as often since adding the Natural Calm.

[MomatHWTK]

Re: puberty, yes I think it does. If I have read the research correctly, the brain goes through a huge growth "spurt" in late adolescents and the hormones kick in as well. DS went from what was very manageable quirkyness to high anxiety, night terrors, etc. Right now, he has to take several medications (which I hate and I hate the side effects). But our hope is once this brain development stage is passed and the hormones calm, he will be able to step down the medications.

 

While I know we are no where near being able to stop the medications yet, we are seeing great strides in his self-control via therapy. I imagine once his hormones do calm down he will be an adult with really great self-control. Right now mentally it's like he's constantly trying to ride a bucking bronco!

[funnygirl]

The melatonin-puberty connection is very interesting, and I look forward to researching it more. My dd13 has been taking melatonin since she was about 6, and yes, I would say she has had a delay in the onset of puberty. AND THAT'S FINE BY ME!! It has been a huge blessing that we are not dealing with all of the nitty-gritty of female pubescence in the midst of the emotional developmental delays that my dd experiences, not to mention the sensory issues...YIKES! I DREAD the onset of menses. (Speaking in medical terms to keep this from being TMI).

 

That being said, dd is adopted, and I don't know any specifics on her birthmother's journey through puberty. That is a huge factor in when a girl starts the "process". It could very well be that melatonin has nothing whatsoever to do with the timing of puberty for my dd.

 

At any rate, her mood is definitely all over the map like that of any adolescent, and I frequently need wine and chocolate to get through it. Anyone else?? ;)

[chris's girl]

Thank you all for being so open. I knew puberty could be quite a thorny issue, so I appreciate your input.

 

Dsmith, that is good to hear. Yes, our bodies do produce melatonin and if one is lacking in it (like a lot of Aspies seem to) then it would probably not be a problem, just replacing what's missing. I did not get the connection until I took my biology class last year where it was mentioned that melatonin has an effect on sex hormones. We were doing a quarter of a pill with both our boys. I thought the pill was 500 mg, but looking at your dose I would say not! Lol. It was 500 something, and working well. As far as my other DS's sleepwalking, my brother does it too, as well as my aunt. No one n DHs side does, so it could be just inherited.

 

Cindy--thank you. ;)

 

Amy--thanks so much for that link!

 

Funnygirl--my DD did not "start" until 13--later than i did, and she does not take melatonin. The women on my DHs side start late, so it's got to be genetics and I think normal for DD. maybe yours too?