Behavior and or Sleeping medications

Taij - posted on 05/09/2013

Have you tried melatonin? My son is on concerta and focalin for his ADHD. The melatonin works, it's herbal and you can get it owner the counter! I wish you luck in finding a solution...

Kristina - posted on 10/27/2010

My son is almost 14 and we do Zoloft and Clonidine which is a life saver, before we started him on the Clonidine he would stay up for 2 days straight and it was like nothing to him (he was 7 at the time). Now he only occasionally stays up all night. Also try a brand of melatonin that has other sleep enhancers and relaxants combined with it, it would still be a natural remedy but more then just the melatonin itself. I hope that you are able to find something that works for her. Just curious with the Risperidal was it name brand or generic because my son can't take the generic it makes him sleep to much :) but the name brand he did great on, sadly my insurance won't cover the name brand now that a generic is available.

Jessica - posted on 10/22/2010

i dont know about behavior meds but as far as sleep. meletonin works if its a big problem. its a natural thing your body makes and it just gives you a little extra. i gave it to my son in the past. theres no side affects because its already something your body makes naturally, it cant harm them. good luck.

Lisa - posted on 10/21/2010

we are using zoloft for my 11 year old daughter..after twenty minutes she is sleeping! Works great! praying for you and your family!

Lisa - posted on 10/21/2010

http://www.kirkmanlabs.com/ViewProductDe...

The nutrient 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan. The body produces its own supply of 5-HTP from ingested high protein foods such as meat, fish, and dairy products. Diets deficient in high protein foods could lead to a body deficient in 5-HTP. In the body, 5-HTP is a precursor to a neurotransmitter called serotonin, which is involved in sending messages through the nervous system contributing to a person’s mood and well being. Supplementing with 5-HTP can increase serotonin levels in the body which in turn minimizes conditions associated with low serotonin levels including:

* Insomnia
* Depression
* Headaches
* Anxiety
This is something I recently heard of that I'm thinking about trying with my son (10yrs old) with ASD.

Kim - posted on 10/21/2010

how much melatonin are you using? you may just need more. It has been the wonder drug for my daughter, she also never slept. She has aspgergers syndrome, adhd, bipolar and schizophrenia. There are times when her normal amount isn't enough and she askes for more so I give it to her. I'm so sorry your daughter has had so many reactions to the meds they have tried her on, my daughter has also had reactions but none of them were life threatening. Back to the melatonin, the regular amount for my daughter which is 5mg isn't enough for my niece so they give her more than that to start with. I hate trying to figure out the correct medicine for our kids, its so hard on them and then for us to watch them struggle through it is heart wrenching. I will say a prayer for your daughter and I hope you can figure it out. please let me know what happens. good luck.

Erica - posted on 10/20/2010

Hi Leslie. I have an 11 year old girl that has not slept from birth. Her current axis 1 is ADHD/combined subtype and Bipolar NOS. She has never slept through the night without medications. She began sleep meds at age 4- before that she slept in 15-20 minute intervals. We have tried everything! What has worked best for us has been 2 different blood pressure meds: Tenex and Clonidine. She also takes Natures Naturals sublingual 3mg melatonin. The doctor said that melatonin doesn't make you tired, it helps you relax and start the phase of falling asleep so it needs to be given within 15 minutes prior to hitting the bed. I was also told that if it is not enough, give another one. Sublingual is the fastest route into the body so instead of waiting for a pill that was swallowed to work you can time this one, and it is more pure. I liked tenex and clonidine because there were no groggy mornings, no side effects we experienced, and it worked quick. Best of luck to you! We are on a bipolar episodic wave right now so no meds are helping her sleep period! Yay!

Tammy - posted on 10/20/2010

Hello Leslie,I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter's problem but relieved that there are other children with this problem.My daughter is 12 and has been suffering with this same thing since she was 5,she has been on Hydroxidine and has tried Melatonin with no results,they have finally put her on Strattera and she has no trouble going to sleep it's the staying asleep that's the problem,I wouldn't think much about it if she wasn't tired and irritable all the time.She's had 2 sleep studies and therapy with no avail,they say it is propably emotional...Is it just me or is there something terribly wrong with all of this,all these children on so many meds,there has got to be a common link in all of this...something very wrong!I pray for our children.I wishyou all the best sorry I don't have a cure but still hanging in there.

AnnMarie - posted on 10/20/2010

My son is 15 and around puberty I asked his doctor about medicine he suggested guifencine he's been on in for about 2 years it helps as much as I hoped for also a couple of months ago I put him on unisom and he sleeps for about 8 hrs now thank god for that

Marcia - posted on 10/20/2010

My grandson takes Risperdol but instead of increasing it since he has grown, his Development/ Behavior doctor started him on Sertraline (Zoloft). This is working pretty well. We figured his outbursts were not out of anger but frustration/ sadness that something wasn't working like he thought it should. I also have been giving him Melatonin at bedtime. He won't go to sleep without it. It is an herbal medicine that was recommended by one of the therapists where he gets speech therapy. You can get it at a drug store over the counter. I give him half a tablet 1/2 hr before he goes to bed. Hope this helps.

Betsy - posted on 10/20/2010

I haven't read all the replies so I am not sure if someone has already talked about these meds. My son is 7 and takes at night clonidine and trazodone. The first puts him to sleep and the second keeps him asleep. I will say that they work great, but it seems like once a month or so he is up all night anyway even with the meds, but that is way better than 1-2 hours of sleep a night. During the day he is on the daytrana patch and prozac. He takes these for behavior, hyperness, and anxiety. This seems to be a good combo right now for us. He is making progress in school and sleep at home. Oh I forgot too, he took melatonin for a little while, It worked for a month or two and then it didn't, that is when we decided to try meds.

Julie - posted on 10/19/2010

Hi , I also have a child with sleeping problems and without meds he would not sleep at all. This is a common problem for my child as he has Smith Lemli Opitz syndrome. We have also tried many meds but with little affect. We are currently on Tegretol and Endep and are having a fantastic result. He is sleeping on averege of 6 to 8 hours a night, which he hasnt done for 5 years. Hope this is some help, our neurologist has him on these meds and are apparently very safe long term. Regards Julie

Lydia - posted on 10/19/2010

Hi my name is Lydia and my Autistic daughter is Thea she is fifteen years old and I am still trying to cope with everything but....I've found that Risperdal works best for my daughter...recently the doctor added Cogentin to counteract the side effects of her meds(drooling) but it only aggravated the condition...she threw humongous tantrums and had insomnia.....so I stopped it, she is back to "normal"now...the drooling I can handle.....the tantrums and insomnia cannot handle.
Maybe your doctor needs to adjust the dosage of your daughter's med they may have been to much for her hence the reactions.....chat with him/her about it....I wish you the best Thea is the last of my four daughters so I could never imagine what you are going through with your eight kids....but all the same keep heart and pray as God never gives up on us!!!!!! Lydia in Trinidad!!

Nicole - posted on 10/19/2010

Hi Leslie,
So sorry to hear about the problems you are having with your daughter, it made me cry while I was reading it because I could really relate. My daughter is 8 and was diagnosed with hyperactivity at 3, because she was so young they wouldn't say anymore than that but she was wired from birth, only sleeping for 15 min intervals. by age three we were lucky to get 3 hours sleep a night too. She was put on Clonidine at 3 which is actually a blood pressure medication and not a sleeping pill. It really helped with getting to sleep which was our main issue. She usually slept for about 5 hours and then would have to have another 1/2 tablet through the night. She was diagnosed as ODD with ADHD when she was 6 and after fighting it for years was put on Ritalin which worked ok for about a year in conjunction with the Clonidine. Early this year they changed her to a long acting med for the days because she was getting uncontrollable again and not sleeping either and when they put her on the new med Concerta(methylphenidate) she became a completely different child. She can now concentrate at school and ballet and sleeps all night long without the clonidine. I hope this can help you. I would find it difficult to put any child on seroquel because it really has a terrible effect on you, I know from experience and I was an adult when taking it.

Wendy - posted on 10/19/2010

Hi Erika. Could you tell me more about Shui Xian tean and Rooibos products? What behavioral benefits related to calming and focusing can you share with me? Also, could you send me your website information? Thank you.

Deb - posted on 10/19/2010

I think that all of our dogs can sense that he needs them. They are all very protective of him.

Wendy - posted on 10/19/2010

What a wonderful pet you must have. Our cat "Lucy" loves to sleep on my son's top bunk and although he is not too fond of her doing so, he wakes up laughing that she is in his bed.

Deb - posted on 10/19/2010

Wendy,

I happen to agree with you. If my son is really active during the day and evening he seems to sleep a lot better! We also have a dog that sleeps with him. If the dog is not in the bed with him, he will cover his face with his pillow and cry until she comes in. Then we shut the door so that she stays in there all night.

Wendy - posted on 10/19/2010

Hi. My son is 9 years old as well. The melatonin he takes (3mg) at night works unbelievably well... we are very lucky. Before we discovered melatonin, however, we used the EASE Therapeutic Listening Program. He would lay in his bed with his Sennheiser headset (that was recommended to play the modulated music) and totally relax. The program called for him to listen to a variety of CDs for 30 minutes twice per day. The program has CDs that target specific issues/behaviors. As I recall, the first CD was the one used for relaxation. We also had my son take a warm bath just before bed rather than earlier or before reading since the stories usually got his imagination started. One last thought, the more physically active he was during the day (running, jumping on the trampoline, swimming, or whatever) the easier it was for him to get to sleep. His body and mind were literally tired. I am sorry that I don't have more insight to share. Best of luck to you and your family.

Nichole - posted on 10/19/2010

They used Clonidine for my son to help him sleep...it does work well. But because of all of his behavior issues we took him off and he now takes 500mg of seroquel a night. That did help him sleep for awhile but it is not working anymore. I would be open for ideas to.

Deb - posted on 10/19/2010

The only thing we have used for our son is the Daytrana patch. He is also very sensitive, so we could only use 1/2 patch at a time. It certainly seemed to help and he slept better at night.



*The daytrana patch is being tested for use with Autistic children. It was originally used to treat ADHD for children who are young or cannot swallow pills. It is NOT a sleeping medication. I should have been more specific.

Renee - posted on 10/19/2010

I would ask your daughter about triptophan in a child that young. I was diagnoses insomniac at 10 years old and melatonin never worked for me. I cant take the other RX drugs either because they keep me wide awake or give me nightmares, however, the cobination of melatonin 3mg time release and triptophan works wonders for me. For the first time in my life (im 25) I can sleep for about 5 or 6 hours straight!

Allison - posted on 10/19/2010

Cindy Swisher,,
The ONLY kind of melatonin that works for my son is in the yellow bottle called Nature Made..

Allison - posted on 10/19/2010

Hi Leslie,
Maybe she needs to detox alittle and then start fresh.. Melatonin works for my son who is 7 years old and high functioning autistic. Lately he stays up later, so I give it to him later, and he konks right out.. at first I thought he needed a larger dose, but he still stays on the 3 mg for now.. As far as behavioral meds??? crazy road we were on last year.. depends on what your child can handle I suppose.. I know my son cannot swallow pills at all.. he gags big time.. and with the ritalin he used to chew them,, but there is nothing time released that you can chew... it's all pill form.. so we have him on the Daytrana ADHD patch 10 mg.. I was first worried about him ripping it off, but you hardly know it's there once it's on.. this patch helps him focus during schooltime.. and to get him used to it we would play a game in the beginning.. I would put his patch on (and would press down on it including the 4 corners for 60 seconds) and then it just stays on ALL DAY.. unless you take a bath or go swimming.. so I would put that on him and I would get a big bandage and he would put it on my hip.. then he would forget eventually,, and now he is just used to wearing it.. Thank GOD.. it seems to really help my son.. I wish you luck.. 8 kids.. Good Lord I hope you have plenty of help..
God Bless
Allison

Lisa - posted on 10/19/2010

Hey there. I am so glad to hear that others struggle with similar issues, but I am also sorry to hear that you do.

My son Ethan, is almost seven and we too have been through a gambit of different medications for both behavioral and sleeping issues.

For us, after many different attempts and also struggles with allergies (They say that if a child has had a lot of blood transfusions they will have issues with allergies, which is absolutely the case with my son. I don't know how true that statement is, but it seems to ring well, with us. He was on ECMO.

Anyway, we have finally found a lovely combination that does the trick most of the time. He takes 10 (yes, 10!) mg's of Zyprexa and 20 mg of baclofen each evening. This helps with ALL of his issues. Sleeping, and irritability.coping, and outbursts. Prior to this combo, life for us was much like you have previously described.

Putting Ethan on medications was So hard for me. He has a variety of disabilities. Deafblind & CP are the two big ones. He used to not handle being outside of his home environment very well, but the last three years with a lot of work, we have been able get to a place where he can now travel, he goes to school, and we can have some respite time away. It's been our saving grace.

We were allergic and had bad reactions to other medications in the Zyprexa class (atypical front-line anti-psychotics) However, this one did the trick for us!

I would love to hear more about your situation. I am so sorry for your struggles.

Lisa in Utah
Lisa@Madsenfamily.net
http://avenuesofawareness.blogspot.com

Donise - posted on 10/19/2010

ask your doctor about klonadine or klonapin that has helped my son who has autism he also has adhd i also have used the melatonin with the klonapin and the klonadine try that or ask your doctor about the lunesta i hear that it is also a good one to help with sleep i have not tried the lunesta but maybe this will help you when you go and talk to the doctor about the sleeping problem and the behavior problem just be consistant with the consequences that you have for the child i know easier said then done, i have been there, hang in there, there is light at that tunnel.

Cindy - posted on 10/15/2010

My son is ADHD/EI...he takes Adderall during the day and stays up all night long if he could. We've given him Melatonin for a while now. It seemed to work for awhile, but lately it doesn't seem to be helping. What brand do you buy? I'm wondering if that might be the issue.

Sandy - posted on 10/14/2010

My twins have ASD and have always had sleep issues. I have recently started them on Melatonin for sleeping.. It works great for them. It is an natural sleep hormone we already have in our bodies. It was recommended to me by several diffferent Dr's. It is an OTC in the vitamin section of most stores.

Iridescent - posted on 10/14/2010

That is excellent news! We're having similar issues with sleep, but it's inability to stay asleep. We were referred to neurology yesterday, and her specialist said right up front that they may not be able to help at all. I do agree that a sleep study might help her a lot, since she's not able to fall asleep or maintain it.

Leslie - posted on 10/14/2010

Thanks Amy, I actually contacted our insurance today to get some pediactric allergists to take her to. I appreciate your caring. I have been in contact with the neruologists head nurse at least 3 times a week we talk on the phone if I am not in the office. Her seziures are well maintained. So, they are very okay with that. The neuro said it is a psych issue. So we do talk with them at least weekly too. We go today YEAH I MADE IT...almost...lol I am seriously just telling her when we go in that we are in crisis and we have to find or do something. No child should feel the way my little girl does. We were in their office 2 weeks ago and they did try the risperidone then .5mg for her to sleep at night and we ended up in the ambulance. She layed in the floor last night and cried and begged me to give her the risperidone so she could go to sleep. It is aweful. Their has to be something they can do. They did give me klonipin to try. Shes not had a reaction to it but it does NOT put her to sleep. I tried the risperidone first because we had been on it before with no reaction and because it doesn't have the addiction component that klonipin has. I have no clue what she might reccommend today but I may even end up going to a neuro psych, a sleep disorder doc, or another type of specialist. She has to sleep. Once we sleep then we will still see if shes crying and deal with that. I almost think she cries from exhaustion. I will let you know what the doctor says... thank you so much again

Jennifer - posted on 10/13/2010

what is her diagnosis? it sounds like bipolar??? it looks like she cannot handle the anti-phycotics. One I see you have not tried is Abilify it has worked wonders for my son who is now 13. Also melatonin will work if you buy the good ones and give a high enough dose. my son takes 10mg a night. another thing that would help her sleep is Clanazopan(klonopin) it is an anxiety med also given for sleep. what kind of reactions has she had to the meds?

Iridescent - posted on 10/13/2010

I wish I had some easy answers for you. I'd highly suggest you talk to an allergy doctor and find out if she's reacting to the medications themselves, or an inactive ingredient, for one. Also with a neurologist about what would be safe to try or what options you have if medicating isn't a safe option.