What do you do when you child won't sleep? Lastnight Ryan kept me up all night. Melatonin use to work but now I give him 3-4mg and it doesn't anymore?
Ryan has been taking melatonin off and on now for almost a year. We originally started him at 1mg and that worked great then eventually had to increase the amount over time. That seemed to work ..and he slept well. Now it seems that it just stopped working even with increased dosage.
I can't say it always helped him sleep 100% of the time but it always helped settle him enough to atleast fall asleep for a couple hours.
I am just so exhausted. Last night he was a human tv commercial. He was scripting tv commercials all night.
How long were you using melatonin for? I tried it on Alex and it kept him up, actually, during the night. I did an 8 day experiment and now have abandoned the melatonin and he's sleeping OK. Not great, but OK.
My bio-med friend told me that not all ASD kids who wake in the night have melatonin deficiencies. And melatonin is not always right for sleep problems.
Did 3 mg. used to work fine with Ryan? I understand that tolerance is usually not an issue with melatonin.
I'm sorry, I'm more or less flailing, like you. Alex wakes in then night, too, and I wish I could fix it.
Here is an article that helped me understand melatonin and how to use it:
http://www.healthy.net/scr/Article.asp?Id=1231&xcntr=1
highlights:
A wide range of doses works for people. Each person has a unique physiology, hence, no blanket statements can be made.
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Lozenges seem to be more consistently effective in inducing sleep than pills since they are not absorbed from the stomach and metabolized by the liver— which can greatly reduce the amount reaching the bloodstream. Instead, the melatonin dissolves in the mouth and directly enters the bloodstream. Some individuals find that a small dose from a lozenge may be as effective as a large dose from a pill.
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melatonin is subtle compared to the effects of prescription sleeping pills. It doesn't have their knockout punch. Matthew, a 26 year old teacher, tells me, "I am impressed at the similarity between melatonin and natural sleep. As someone who has suffered periodic bouts of insomnia, melatonin provided natural sleepiness without the drowsiness of some prescription medicines that I've taken in the past." Heather, a 24 year old massage therapist, nods, "Sleep comes on naturally and peacefully."
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Most people notice a natural yawn within half an hour of dosing.
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These anecdotes indicate the importance of trial and error in finding out the best dose and the best time for your unique self. If melatonin doesn't work for you initially, don't give up. Experiment with varying doses and times.
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Is Melatonin Addictive?
Since no studies in humans have yet been published specifically addressing this question, I can't make a definitive statement about melatonin's addictive potential. I can only state my own experience and the experience of my patients who feel melatonin not to be physically addictive.
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Tolerance to melatonin is infrequent. Less than a tenth of my patients or survey respondents felt the need to take higher doses.
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A few of my patients have noticed that they sleep just as well, or even better, the night following the use of melatonin. It seems that sometimes there is a slight carry-over effect.
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the National Institutes of Health is spending million a year on 57 melatonin studies, mostly about sleep and the body clock.
My ds got up at 11:30 pm and was up the rest of the night. He didn't have melatonin last night.
I believe some kids bodies adjust to the melatonin differently, and it's best to stop using the melatonin for a few weeks, then you can start again at the same dose. This works better than having to constantly increase the dose.
My ds started at 2mg when he was 3 yrs old, he's now 7 yrs old and takes 3mg, fortunately we've never had the problem.
If that doesn't work maybe it's time to talk to yr dr about clonidine, which works for a lot of ASD kids.
Good luck.
Melatonin just stopped working for my guy and he's back on his crazy sleep schedule or should I say no sleep schedule! My doc suggested the Clonidine, but he said what you said...it will put him to sleep, but he probably won't stay asleep.I have no advice
If it continues to get worse you could definitely contact a doctor...maybe they could do a sleep study and see what it is that is making him not sleep...maybe it's just a phase and he will get over it soon? I agree too about stopping the melatonin...Mason was on it for a little while and we would have to stop it every so often...for us it was just a few days and then it seemed to help again at the same dose when we started it back up.
Good luck and I am praying you get a good nights rest soon!