DawnM Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 My boys share a room. It is a huge room and they prefer to have the company of the other kids. We have tried to get them to split up for various reasons (they talk way too long into the night for one!), but they just wanted to stay together. Now we have an issue. 8 year old snores like a drunken sailer some nights. He used to snore loudly when he was little, but after he had his tonsils and adenoids out, he stopped for several years. He now snores again and will wake up the other boys, making for a very cranky day had by all. He has GOT to get into his own room. We are most likely going to empty the office and put him in there, but he is really upset. He doesn't want his own room, he is scared of being alone at night, etc...... Ideas? Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Have you tried Breathe Right strips for his nose. I couldn't sleep in the bed with my dh if he didn't wear them. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawndrese Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Maybe talk up how "cool" it's going to be in his new, own room. Have him pick out colors to paint the room, or maybe a new comforter. Let him arrange his own furniture. ??? Somehow get him excited about it. And then maybe you could plan for a weekly sleepover with his brother. Kind of like an award for sleeping in his own room all week. (ex: every Friday they can sleep in the same room and have a fun night watching movies and staying up late???) I'm just throwing ideas out that ...not really sure if any of that would work :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Are you sure he doesn't have sleep apnea? I'd be mostly concerned with stopping the snoring. He may see it as punishment to sleep in his own room, punishment for something he can't control. That hurts my heart! I do understand your dilemma, but I'd get him to a dr and get it taken care of, and just buy ear plugs and a white noise machine or an air filter that can help with the sound until you figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I may be off base but isn't snoring a sign of sinus trouble? Like I said I may be confusing it with somethig else. Instead of officially moving him could it just be a sleep thing possibly? Like this is your room with your brothers, but just for sleep we are going to go in this room. Maybe you could just explain in a kind way that his snoring wakes up people and it is very hard on them. That way he won't feel like he had to change rooms he just sleeps in another room and no big deal. I would try the breathe right strips too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I'd probably try to fix the snoring. Otherwise he'll feel he's being put in isolation for something he cannot control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Older boys cannot wear earplugs. Dh can't either. I am not sure they would help though as the decibels are high! He doesn't have any obvious signs of sinus problems, but I could take him in and ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcelmer Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Other ways to deal with the noise might be headphones (the noise muffling kind) or a noisy fan. Ear protection headphones: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Optime-H10A-Earmuff/dp/B00009LI4K/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1338996416&sr=8-11 DS2 can be a bit whiny in the middle of the night, so DS1 wears these frequently. You could slowly transition with sleepovers for both in the new room every couple days for a while, and then decrease the frequency of the joint nights... Maybe keep them every other weekend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 These are more cumbersome than earplugs. I am quite sure my 14 year old and 12 year olds would have a very difficult time sleeping with those. They don't even like headphones for the computer. Other ways to deal with the noise might be headphones (the noise muffling kind) or a noisy fan. Ear protection headphones: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Optime-H10A-Earmuff/dp/B00009LI4K/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1338996416&sr=8-11 DS2 can be a bit whiny in the middle of the night, so DS1 wears these frequently. You could slowly transition with sleepovers for both in the new room every couple days for a while, and then decrease the frequency of the joint nights... Maybe keep them every other weekend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 I have called the doctor and will see what he says. Maybe 8 year old and I can both get a sleep study together! :D Tonight I may just keep him in my room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcatmom Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Last year we moved into a big place and my kids were able to have their own rooms. My 11 yo was super excited about it and loves it and my 10 yo does not. We have had sleeping issues for almost a year. We moved in July. She will not sleep in her room. She sleeps on the couch, she sleeps on the floor next to my bed and sometimes she will start in her bed but she still does not make it through the night. We even bought her a pet to have in her room "for company". Its decorated the way she wants it but it doesn't have any other people and she just not used to that feeling yet. The irony of it all is that the oldest child has always been a horrible sleeper and spent most of her first years in my bed. The other one was always the child I could count on to sleep well. Now they have reversed. Bedtime is such an issue for the 10 yo. I don't really understand how sleeping on the couch helps since she is farther away from everyone. If he is not wanting to have his own room, you may be up for a big battle. It might be easier to fix the sleeping issues. I have sleep apnea and I snore pretty bad but I am going to pick up my CPAP mask today so we will see if it helps. Good Luck. I will be listening for what others suggest, as I could use the help.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Could the older ones move to the office or living room after he starts snoring? Might work temporarily ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Making the office a bedroom will take a HUGE amount of effort. I am not doing it for occasional nights. We have to take out a monster of a desk, both computers, all of our files, and boxes just to get a bed in there. It is a smaller room and wouldn't fit two beds anyway. The living room is an issue....I bought a sofa about 3 years ago that I really liked. However, it is U shaped (called conversational) and doesn't allow for lying down strait on. I didn't even think about it until one day when I was tired and went to lie down on it. Dawn Could the older ones move to the office or living room after he starts snoring? Might work temporarily ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Did you have to go through your doctor first? I need sleep study and really need to get this done. I am going to ask the doctor Friday when I take him in, but I have got to get on this! Last year we moved into a big place and my kids were able to have their own rooms. My 11 yo was super excited about it and loves it and my 10 yo does not. We have had sleeping issues for almost a year. We moved in July. She will not sleep in her room. She sleeps on the couch, she sleeps on the floor next to my bed and sometimes she will start in her bed but she still does not make it through the night. We even bought her a pet to have in her room "for company". Its decorated the way she wants it but it doesn't have any other people and she just not used to that feeling yet. The irony of it all is that the oldest child has always been a horrible sleeper and spent most of her first years in my bed. The other one was always the child I could count on to sleep well. Now they have reversed. Bedtime is such an issue for the 10 yo. I don't really understand how sleeping on the couch helps since she is farther away from everyone. If he is not wanting to have his own room, you may be up for a big battle. It might be easier to fix the sleeping issues. I have sleep apnea and I snore pretty bad but I am going to pick up my CPAP mask today so we will see if it helps. Good Luck. I will be listening for what others suggest, as I could use the help.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcatmom Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 (edited) Did you have to go through your doctor first? I need sleep study and really need to get this done. I am going to ask the doctor Friday when I take him in, but I have got to get on this! Yes, I was actually having a hard time breathing and I was first diagnosed with lung disease. When I saw the pulmonary doctor based on that diagnoses, he said I had sleep apnea as well. I really didn't believe him but figured I would do the sleep study just to prove him wrong. I was wrong and it was quite severe. My cessation of breathing lasting around 50 seconds each. I will say that it has taken a long time to get to this point, for me. I started complaining of issues in January and my first study was in March. In the end, I had two studies done and I am just picking up and trying out masks this afternoon. Anyway, pm me if you have any questions - not wanting to hyjack this thread. To the OP - just to be clear I wasn't suggesting making the couch an option but just pointing out that the transition can be quite difficult for a child that doesn't want their own space. I dismissed my dd's initial complaints and just figured she would grow into it and love it. It's been a year and we are still having issues. I can certainly understand how it's hard on the other child though as well and his needs are important too. I hope you find a solution to what works for both kids. :grouphug: Edited June 6, 2012 by fourcatmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Did you have to go through your doctor first? I need sleep study and really need to get this done. I am going to ask the doctor Friday when I take him in, but I have got to get on this! I would certainly get a sleep study done on him. Sometimes adenoids can grow back so that might be an issue for him as well. Hopefully they can figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Allergies?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I might let him crash on your bedroom floor in the meantime, but I'd get him in to see an ENT and maybe a sleep study if you don't find anything there. That level of snoring is pretty unusual in an 8 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 9, 2012 Author Share Posted June 9, 2012 Doctor said he needs to lose some weight and then we can see if it is any other issue. He said he isn't meeting the criteria for apnea. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Doctor said he needs to lose some weight and then we can see if it is any other issue. He said he isn't meeting the criteria for apnea. Dawn I don't mean to be a nudge but... Call again, Dawn, and insist on that sleep study. :grouphug: I'm sorry, but how can he judge if he's meeting the criteria or not without a sleep study? What is the big deal to get a sleep study and get to the bottom of things? So what if all this is caused by some extra weight? It doesn't mean he has a problem that should be addressed. Regarding the weight issue, I've read that sleep disruption messes with blood sugar and can cause over-eating. There could be a vicious cycle going on regarding the weight and the snoring and sleeping trouble that may need some intervention. I do know a child who had tonsil/adenoid problems and he had them removed. Then the child could finally taste things for the first time in his life. He couldn't stop eating and gained a lot of weight. With this going on, his sleeping did not get better. He is now using that device when he sleeps--a cpap, is that what's it's called? I could imagine a kid having a lot of anxiety at night if at some level, even unconsciouly, he was associating sleeping with not getting enough air. I really hope you are able to get the help you need.:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 9, 2012 Author Share Posted June 9, 2012 As I understand it, and I will need to find out, I don't think I actually needed the referral to get a sleep study done. I will talk to the sleep study person when I go about maybe having 8 year old get one too. He did not snore until he gained weight (other than before tonsils and adenoids were out.) The criteria being that he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night, he isn't tired during the day, that sort of thing. He has always been chunkier kid. He is just built that way. But he has been gaining at a more alarming rate recently. Dawn I don't mean to be a nudge but... Call again, Dawn, and insist on that sleep study. :grouphug: I'm sorry, but how can he judge if he's meeting the criteria or not without a sleep study? What is the big deal to get a sleep study and get to the bottom of things? So what if all this is caused by some extra weight? It doesn't mean he has a problem that should be addressed. Regarding the weight issue, I've read that sleep disruption messes with blood sugar and can cause over-eating. There could be a vicious cycle going on regarding the weight and the snoring and sleeping trouble that may need some intervention. I do know a child who had tonsil/adenoid problems and he had them removed. Then the child could finally taste things for the first time in his life. He couldn't stop eating and gained a lot of weight. With this going on, his sleeping did not get better. He is now using that device when he sleeps--a cpap, is that what's it's called? I could imagine a kid having a lot of anxiety at night if at some level, even unconsciouly, he was associating sleeping with not getting enough air. I really hope you are able to get the help you need.:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 As I understand it, and I will need to find out, I don't think I actually needed the referral to get a sleep study done. I will talk to the sleep study person when I go about maybe having 8 year old get one too. He did not snore until he gained weight (other than before tonsils and adenoids were out.) The criteria being that he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night, he isn't tired during the day, that sort of thing. He has always been chunkier kid. He is just built that way. But he has been gaining at a more alarming rate recently. Dawn That's good that you can talk to a sleep study person and possibly bypass your pediatrician if he's not being cooperative. About the waking up in the middle of the night, I don't know if people with sleep apnea know they are waking up since it's momentary...but I don't have it so I really have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.