Seven year old Daughter who can't get to sleep

[MamaK]

I am so sorry you are going through this. I know exactly how you feel.

My daughter (now 6 1/2) stopped sleeping during the day at 9 weeks. She never slept for more than 40 minutes during the night. She started sleeping through the night last year just before she turned 6.

I, like you, had tried all sorts of meditation, diet, rewards, punishment, etc etc. she would wake up to 6 times a night , not crying, no nightmares, just waking. I was at the end of my tether. I did not enjoy being her parent. We even got prescribed a sedative but guess what, that didn't work either!!!

What HAS worked for her is: changing her diet completely - we now follow the Failsafe diet. She also takes Melatonin in the evening 30 minutes before bed and this helps her relax enough to get off to sleep, and she generally doesn't wake now through the night.

Melatonin is not a sedative. It is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain, and helps to regulate our sleep patterns. Some people just don't have enough. I don't know for sure that DD is lacking in melatonin, but I do know that it works.

It gets prescribed to children with Autism and Aspergers sometimes, and my daughter has SPD (sensory processing disorder) so I figured what the heck!

I am sorry for all the info about MY daughter when this is about yours, but I do hope this helps.

I am happy to try and help you out as much as I can as I know what years of sleep deprivation can do to a person.

Good luck with everything.

XX

[nothing2lose]

Has she been tested for ADD?

My daughter - now almost 13 - is exactly the same. Melatonin was prescribed but didn't work very well. We have also tried Catapres, which we've had more success with.

I think you should not frame it in terms of reward/punishments. It is very unlikely she can control it. I really suggest getting her tested.

Good luck!

[AnyDream]

Here's what I would try:
* remove every CFL/fluoro lightbulb in the house (especially the cool white ones) and replace them with warm-white globes, preferably LED.
* warm shower/bath about 45 min before bed - when the body starts cooling down sleep is more likely
* no milo/chocolate drinks in the afternoon or evening (too stimulating). Same goes for chocolate flavoured desserts
* If she has a light in her room (eg, nightlight) get one with a red bulb - as that's the colour that least stimulating
* Spend some time in the bedroom with her. In our house that meant moving the bedtime story reading into her room, instead of on the lounge.
* Sometimes the restlessness is actually a sign the child is overtired. Maybe send her to bed a bit earlier and see what happens?

If you've tried all that and are still getting no progress, you might need to see a dr.