Ways to get ADHD child to wind down for sleep

Christine - posted on 08/17/2011

I have used melatonin on my almost 5 year old for a year now. I use 1/2 or 1/4 of a 3mg tablet and dissolve it in my sons' juice before bed. He will refuse it otherwise. But it works like a charm. I even use it on myself when I have trouble sleeping. Melatonin is a natural hormone in the body that increases as the night comes around signaling to the body that it is time to sleep. There is low toxicity and a variety of other good uses. Also, I agree with the consistent bedtime routine. We also do that as well as much as possible and my son now will get upset if we deviate from it. We also do the sound machine as well. He likes it too. lol..

Nazari - posted on 08/14/2011

for alexa if she is not taking any medication to help her sleep you should talk to the doctor my son takes clonodine and he is gone 30-45 minutes, i could of afford having a kid been up 24 hrs, and going to work. there is also melotin in liquid which i didnt know they have, probably work faster anything liquid and capsule medication works faster.

Alexa - posted on 08/14/2011

my kid Alexa had ODD and ADHD and after her 6 yr old sister falls asleep she stays up on the computer till 5 in the morning

Ann - posted on 08/13/2011

Thanks to all above for your wonderful advise and comments. I really appreciate them. The summer nearly gone now and its a nightmare trying to get son to sleep so am going to see how the melatonin works for him from this week to get back into routine for the start of the school year. Regards Ann

Linda - posted on 08/10/2011

I give mine the melatonin, then they take showers and get ready for bed, then I read to them for about 20-30 minutes. The medication takes about 30 minutes to take full effect. I've noticed if I give it to them after they've done all their bedtime routines, it takes (what feels like) forever to get them to settle down. We use the 3mg tabs but if my 9yr old (weighs about 100lbs) is having trouble sleeping, I'll increase to a tab and a half (4.5mg) for that night. If I forget to give it, I can practically guarantee it's going to take up to two hours to get them to settle down to sleep.

Jessica - posted on 07/29/2011

You could try sounds funny... But warm ovaltine made with milk... Warms the belly I give it to my daughter every night b4 bed plus it helps when she gets hungry cause she is on medication during the day

Cassie - posted on 07/28/2011

My 6yr old is currently being assessed for ADHD but the doctor advised i give my child melatonin for night, and ive heard it works a treat, 3mg is the reccomended i believe, you can buy it online

Nazari - posted on 07/27/2011

All I can said is my son is being taking clonodine since 3 for sleeping issues, and its works for him. intuniv is good for very hyper kids, which it will putting to sleep too after a very busy day after school, i wont combine both medication i used clonodine in the summer which half of the summer he is home.

Nazari - posted on 07/27/2011

melotin is a save sleep aid i will try liquid or chocolate strip that i try with my son he also like the sleeping tea. my little one that is going to be 10 now he takes clonodine 1mg that will send right to sleep in half an hour, he can be up for 24 hour.

Nazari - posted on 07/27/2011

melotin is a save sleep aid i will try liquid or chocolate strip that i try with my son he also like the sleeping tea. my little one that is going to be 10 now he takes clonodine 1mg that will send right to sleep in half an hour, he can be up for 24 hour.

Nazari - posted on 07/27/2011

melotin is a save sleep aid i will try liquid or chocolate strip that i try with my son he also like the sleeping tea. my little one that is going to be 10 now he takes clonodine 1mg that will send right to sleep in half an hour, he can be up for 24 hour.

Nazari - posted on 07/27/2011

I know exercise or a heavy duty activity help that is how i call it.

Amy - posted on 06/30/2011

1 of my 3 boys has ADHD and the other has ADD. We 2 have struggled with the bedtime wind down. It helps when he has had a lot of exercise during the day X swimming is super! But, I have also started a "No TV Time." At 9 o'clock, my boys go to bed + they then have a 1/2 hour to wind down. They can read for 15 minutes + then no books just relaxation for the second 15 minutes. They are usually asleep before the second 15 minutes are over. I hope this helps you.

Bec - posted on 06/27/2011

I have since birth,well just about sang soft songs to settle down for sleep.I have brought cd's with the same songs and this helps with the sleep time thing.Just pick gentle music and pick ones you like record them even on mp3 plays over and over do this each night on cue and eventually they will hear the music and it is their cue for bed/rest and will have em asleep...

Traci - posted on 06/27/2011

Hi Ann...
This is a tough one -- my 13 year old son struggled with falling asleep for a long time. I did some digging and found that, rather than a side-effect of his medication, it was a case of not being able to turn his brain "off". We instituted a bed-time routine where 30 min. before lights out, he has to turn off all electronic stimuli (TV, XBox, computer, Nintendo DSi), have a warm shower and brush his teeth and hit the sheets for a little light reading. This type of routine supposedly "trains the brain" that sleep is coming and seemed to work for him as he finds it much easier to fall asleep and stay asleep now.

Hope this helps!

Angela - posted on 06/26/2011

consistant routine works best. we have the same bed routine in the summer as for school its just lights out at 9 instead of 830. make your awake times consistant too.

Michele - posted on 06/26/2011

We also use the melatonin, bug not the over the counter stuff. I order it from an online pharmacy my Dr. recommended. This way I can get a lower dose- my daughter takes 1mg (the OTC starts at 3mg) and then we let her take a book to bed with her. This seems to be just enough to help her wind down and fall asleep for the night, which she never was able to do before.

Beth - posted on 06/24/2011

My 9 yr old has an hr of reading time before lights out that helps her wind down , she also takes melatonin at bed time.

Kim - posted on 06/22/2011

Melatonin is over the counter I also give it to my other child because she just has trouble sleeping. It comes I believe in 3 and 5 ml. It is an all natural remedy. I buy mine at the dollar store.

Therese - posted on 06/22/2011

i bought my son the sound machine. I probably have the name wrong. It is a little device that has different sounds on it like the ocean, rain, white noise, etc. It was inexpensive, i got it at bed, bath and beyond. that helps him a lot. I did try the melatonin for a while but i feel that was like mind over matter. I did not really see that helping him. sometimes when his allergies were bad i would give him benedryl and i noticed that that worked better than melatonin to make him sleepy.

Ann - posted on 06/22/2011

Thank you girls for your advise. I will try to take it on board. However my son is not on any medication yet so not sure what I could give him with that regard...will check with GP.

Kim - posted on 06/22/2011

same here my dr recommends melatonin for sleep. Also if he is on some meds the dr might recommend benedrele .Just ask your dr.

Wendy - posted on 06/22/2011

My son takes Vistrol (prescription) which helps settle him down, but we also regulate his before bed activities. No video games or computer after dinner and no active/running games 45 minutes to an hour before bed. Reading is a great activity for before bed, but really anything that has him sitting and quiet. We tell him his brain needs to be able to calm down and settle for bed just like his body does.

Heather - posted on 06/22/2011

My 12 yr old daughter has the same diagnoses. I also give her melatonin sometimes (you can buy it at any pharmacy or health food store in the vitamin section) I find that if I tell her she has to read for a half an hour she miraculously gets very tired (reading is difficult for her and a non-preferred activity) Bedtime is definitely a battle every night though, there are a million excuses to stay up for just a few more minutes...starting the bedtime routine about a 1/2 hour before you actually want him to go to sleep may help, and stick to the same time every night, maybe a 1/2 hr later during the summer.
good luck!

Autumn - posted on 06/22/2011

I give my child some melatonin a half hour before I want him to sleep, and then we watch tv, or I read to him. Activities that are sitting in nature... tv is a classic ADHD activity (like video games, but those just turn him into an ass) that gives stimulation to his brain and helps him sit in one place for a while, but he likes being read to (we read Calvin and Hobbes comics), too. The melatonin takes care of the sleeping very well. He used to stay up till 2am.