11 year old boy wants to sleep constantly

[bethben]

My 11 year old is falling asleep constantly. He has trouble sleeping in the night because he has to go to the bathroom all the time. My 15 year old went through a huge growing spurt around 12, so I have a feeling one is coming, but it's been a month where he is falling asleep all over the house. This is not normal for him. He's a sensitive sleeper and usually just can't go to sleep randomly. He says he feels fine and says he's happy with his life. U am bringing him to the doctor tomorrow. Anything I should be looking for or testing for?

 

 

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[ondreeuh]

I would make sure they check his blood glucose. See if they want him to fast before the appt. I hope it's nothing, but that would worry me.

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

That seems unusual.  Hope you get to the bottom of it quick. 

 

 

[Pippen]

Is he on any meds---ie OTC antihistamines or decongestants? Xyrtec made one of mine so sleepy he was falling asleep at the dinner table. 

 

I'd be asking for a sleep study. There could be issues like Restless Leg Syndrome contributing to his being a sensitive sleeper. 

[Artichoke]

Puberty and extra sleeping wouldn't worry me.   We joke that our eldest slept through puberty.   If he's urinating much more frequently, I'd be concerned with his glucose levels like the pp said,   Another thought is to ask your ds if he's actually urinating or just feeling like he has to.  Feeling vs actually going has different medical indications. 

[bethben]

I think what's happening is he gets up to go to the bathroom and then can't fall back to sleep.  Then he gets thirsty, so he drinks a bunch.  Then he has to go to the bathroom again because he hasn't fallen asleep again and the cycle continues.  I also found out he's eating protein bars because he's hungry and they have some chocolate in them which may or may not contribute to the awake thing.  I've been making him drink a ton during the day and watching that closely so his body is getting the proper water during the day at least. So, I've loaded him up on water today and he's gone to the bathroom once.  So, he's dehydrated somewhat.  I am going to suggest glucose testing.  My neighbor took her son into the doctor because he wet the bed twice in a week when he was 10.  He wound up having diabetes and she caught it really early so that's what's making me think that also. 

 

It may just be growth spurt too.  My 15 year old has stretch marks on his back he grew so fast.  

[mamiof5]

Sugar? Iron?

[Prairie~Phlox]

Yep, check his glucose.

[katilac]

I would do a standard blood panel that will check glucose, Vitamin D, and so on. 

[J-rap]

That seems unusual, but I'd start with encouraging him to not drink any liquids after 6pm.  See if that makes a difference.

 

 

[trulycrabby]

Is he eating more than normal?

[Epicurean]

Yeah, no liquids after 6 PM. Does he snore? Sleep apnea might be keeping him from getting good sleep, too.

[DesertBlossom]

If you think it could be diabetes and you don't have a meter, I think most pharmacies have a meter available for use. (That's how we discovered DD had diabetes-- the pharmacist offered to test her when DH explained her symptoms) Or ask any friends who have a meter on hand. I wouldn't wait if you can't get in to the doctor right away.

[Rockhopper]

Check his bg asap, please! While all of those symptoms *could* be other things, together they are strongly suggestive of diabetes.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Rockhopper

[Katy]

Assuming he's not diabetic, I'd have him force water earlier in the day, and eat protein earlier in the day, and quit drinking more than a few ounces several hours before bed time.  I'd be lazy and get some of those 2-oz disposable cups we use in the bathroom so I wouldn't have to measure.  Like, after he leaves the dinner table he can have no more than three 2-oz cups of fluid before bed. Also, get rid of the chocolate protein bars for a while and have him eat something like a chocolate-free granola bar if he's hungry after noon or over night.

 

At one point when DH had to switch to a very early morning shift and was having some jet-lag like symptoms we read that protein is more effective than caffeine at making you wake up.  Carbs have the opposite result, and make you sleepy.

 

To get him caught up on fluids, get a couple quarts of gatorade and have him try to drink them before noon. 

 

It's pretty normal to have sleep problems during puberty though.

[GoVanGogh]

We almost lost a teenage relative to undiagnosed diabetes - DKA - just two weeks ago. I would do a glucose test. I am not one to run to the doctor, but the urinating and sleep issues would make me question diabetes.

[Starr]

Thirst, urination and sleep makes me think to check for diabetes as well.  :grouphug:

[happymom4]

This may sound strange but could he be sleepwalking?  I ask because my ds8 went through this for a while.  He would get completely restless at night like his brain couldn't shut down in to sleep.  He'd lay down for a few minutes and then he would be back up and moving (usually headed to the bathroom for some reason).  This would happen throughout the night and he was exhausted and distressed at night because he wanted to go to sleep but couldn't.  It took me a minute to realize he was sleepwalking because he looked wide awake and was even talking.  Of course he would then crash during the day and just fall asleep. 

[UnionJack]

Mono? I had mono one summer during college and could not stay awake!

[eternalsummer]

you can buy a blood sugar testing kit at walmart for cheap

[Daria]

I agree about checking for diabetes, but for my kid, similar symptoms of both excessive daytime sleepiness and nighttime insomnia were depression and sleep apnea. It is not clear to me, even 4 years after onset, which is the chicken and which is the egg.

[Tap]

I would look for mono and diabetes.

[mathnerd]

I think what's happening is he gets up to go to the bathroom and then can't fall back to sleep.  Then he gets thirsty, so he drinks a bunch.  Then he has to go to the bathroom again because he hasn't fallen asleep again and the cycle continues. 

Please get him some commercial electrolytes (we use NUUN tablets) for a few days and see if he needs to go to the bathroom frequently (gatorade has too much sugar). Why I say this is because I had a really tired and sleepy kid for almost 2 years who used to run to the bathroom all day long and then drink water and then be tired and running to the bathroom. The doctor could only think of UTI and diabetes which turned out to be false leads. My DS sweats a lot more than average kids and he also plays 2 sports rigorously. There is a condition where the blood loses almost all the electrolytes in sweating and then the body refuses to absorb more plain water because it does not want to dilute what little electrolyte is available in the blood. The person is thirsty, drinks a lot of water and then pees most of it without the body getting any hydration. A couple of doses of electrolytes fixed the problem for my son.

I am not saying that this is what the problem is for your son - but, since it is summer, you could try to rule out electrolyte loss through sweat while you also investigate other things. Good luck.