5 Year Old Will Not Sleep!

Hi, I also have two children who are very much on the light sleep since birth.
My youngest one is 4.He is usually up at 5:30 or 6 am, furthermore he was always dreaming a lot and cranky in his sleep, he was also very hyper thru the day and moody. He used to wake up a lot at night.
I decided to go to a natural doctor and I learned that his eczema was related to an stomach fungus and also to a sensitivity to wheat, dairy and white refined sugar. All those things made him extra hyper and moody. Since then I have changed his diet, and the reduction in wheat and dairy (he takes soy milk without problems) has made a huge difference in his personality, sleep and eczema.
Now he can have some of all those things with some enzymes that help him digest it better- and I can adjusted his diet based on his behavior and rash- We also have included a lot of "sporty activities" like swimming, walks, bike rides, hikes and that made him tired and relaxed and that helps him to sleep sooner at night and also thru the night.
I knew he was not a moody kid or super hyper. I had the feeling that he was just not himself. I went to his pediatrician and their answers did not help me. I tried the alternative approach and that just help him became the happy boy he is now.
Hope I was of some help
Good luck

It sounds like your child is the perfect canidate for melatonin. I had a good friend who had a son that because of some neurological issues did not sleep well for 10 years and suffered in school because of it. Melatonin was recom. to her and after she started giving it to her son she said it changed his life and she has a different child now because he is sleeping normally.

I don't know much about it except that it is natural supplement and is not a quick fix but as it builds up in the body it regulates a person's circadian rythmns. It sounds like it would be worth you looking into. Maybe it might help your husband as well. There have been studies that have shown that people who do not sleep well have a version of this chemical lacking in their brain. . .interesting stuff

Hang in there - I know you must be at your absolute breaking point! ((((HUGS))))

I would highly recommend the book "solve your child's sleep problems" by Dr. Richard Ferber. Excellent book to have when it's time to teach our children sleep habits and any challenges that might arise. And, you certainly have a challenge on your hands. I have successfully taught my own three children wonderful sleep habits and have had approximately 38 other children come through my home as I have an in-home daycare and this book has become my bible of children's sleep patterns. There's an art to getting 6 or 8 children to fall asleep in the same room at the same time!! I really think it will give you some wonderful advice.
Good Luck!!!

Hi,
To rule out physical/medical causes, maybe she should have a sleep study done.

That does not seem to be enough sleep. If there is nothing physically wrong with her, maybe some hypno-therapy or something? Not sure if they do that with kids, but it sometimes helps adults with insomnia. Or if she really is fearful, maybe counseling would help.

Good luck.
Jen

I would go back to the dr and tell them that they advice is not helping and you want further advice for what you can do, maybe see another dr. Do not let the dr blow you off. If you just go away you will not get the help you are looking for.

My neice has a similiar problem, she takes meds so she can sleep. She would be up all night and started to get into things and make messes when my sisiter in law went to they dr for it.

Good luck,
Joanna

HI S.,

Not sure I have any advice, just that I can relate. My daughter (3rd child) is 4.5. She has never really slept well, either. As a baby she would nap 20 min at a time, and almost always wanted to be held. Now, it's hard gettin her to sleep. Sometimes she will fall asleep between 9 and 12, but alwasy wakes up in the middle of the night, usually to go into our bed, needs water, bathroom, growing pains, or just wakes up. The other night my husband said she was up 3-4 times in 4 hours, (he stays up later than me now, I'm 8 mos prego too). Usually she wakes up right after me, like she knows I'm not near her anymore and POP, she's up. Gets very frustrating, cuz you never get any time alone. Like right now, I've had about 4-5 hours of broken sleep if I'm lucky, ugh. With another baby on the way soon, I'm not sure how we are going to do it, but I guess we will somehow survive. The doctors laughed at me when I jokingly yet serioulsy asked about sleeping pills for kids or anything, anything that would help her sleep more hours straight thru.

All I can say is I sympathize (sp?) with you and you are not alone. This too shall pass, someday, lol.

Take care and good luck, if ya hear of any miracles, let me know !!!

L.

g.

S.,
You are not alone. I also went and still going thru the exact same thing. My daughter is now 9. She sleeps very little. She also has a very vivid imagination and sometimes is scared of her dreams. She can tell me her dreams in great details. Some of her dreams scare me!!! The details, how a child her age knows some of what she tells me, is upsetting. As a baby my life was a nightmare. She is my 2nd. She never slept anymore than 2 hours at a time as a baby. Nap, never happened. The girl sleeps now about 5 hours and will hit the floor running!!! At night I sometimes have to lay with her ,for her to fall asleep. The doctor as a baby said she would out grow this. I don't think so!!!! My daughter doesn't seem to need the sleep. However their has been times when she has crashed and slept for 10 hours straight. When this happens the household shuts down and off so she can get the rest. I worry all the time about it. Now that she is older, she knows when she wakes up, she can read or watch tv or play in her room quietly. It amazes me, that she can function on so little sleep. Yes, there are days when she is cranky, those are the times I talk to her about sleeping or just resting and she will just lay on the sofa and take a catnap, not often. However, everynight regardless she is in bed by a certain time. It is important to keep some kind of schedule, for the parents sanity!
Your not alone. Good Luck!!!

Have you tried having your girls sleep in the same bed? Mine do (7 & 8.5), and I think it helps them. My boys (5 & 3) sleep together as well. They've all done this since they moved out of sleeping with my husband and I. My oldest is starting to fuss about wanting her own bed, so I need to get the top bunk to their bunk bed put together. I have other friends whose older kids slept together, and they all say that eventually they get to an age where they want to sleep separately, so you don't need to worry about them continuing to sleep together "forever."

You should be concerned about this. That is not enough sleep for a 5 year old. I know when my girls have a late night or too little sleep we have very rough days ahead. They sleep 11 hrs a night and sometimes nap a few times a week for up to 3 hours.

I would maybe talk to a psychologist or sleep specialist, now I know depending on your ins. you may need a referral but I would DEMAND one from her ped. if you need it.

Good sleep is necessary to do well in school, interact with their peers and the people aroudn them and just so vital to a healthy body. And it is something you need to in order to be the best mom you can be to both of your children. If the ped will not listen you can take her to a family practice that sees all ages and they may be more willing to help.

Good luck!