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Post by finding on Apr 8, 2008 12:16:12 GMT -5
My youngest started having night terrors not long ago, last night was bad. He wasn't quite awake, but not asleep either and nothing would console him.
One minute he was kicking and screaming, crying "No" and the next he was clinging to me and wouldn't let go.
Is there anything that can help with this?
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Post by sheyd on Apr 8, 2008 12:20:51 GMT -5
I wish! I think I told you what we used to do for Kori... at least she was manageable - and she DID grow out of it (if that is any hope). My cousin's kid had them, he would think the house was on fire, he would choke and cough and crawl on the floor, then when he got outside he would run full tilt - without being aware of roads. Once he almost went through a window to get out of the house - and sometimes he thought he was on fire. He was a teenager at the time - and a big guy at that. THAT would be scary.
If it is any consolation - people with night terrors don't remember them when they wake up. It is horrible for you, but as far as memory - he won't be affected when he is awake.
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Post by rocko on Apr 8, 2008 12:23:24 GMT -5
I think the treatment is different for each kid. They wanted me to give Kyle some type of medicine to help him sleep better or something. I cannot think of the name...it is over the counter.
I tried snuggling him = rip my hair out. I tried just letting work it self out = hours of screaming I tried to talk to him from a distance = hours of screaming (no affect) I tried a stern voice (in his face) = ouch I finally started rubbing his feet and staying silent = it worked
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Post by sheyd on Apr 8, 2008 12:30:59 GMT -5
Oh - maybe it was you I was talking to about them Rocko! In that case - what worked best for Kor was to straight jacket her with my arms on the couch with her facing the tv while it was on. The flickering or something would soothe her, and when she started actively watching it we knew she was awake. She usually slept the rest of the night fine after that.
Shey
PS Modified to add - was the stuff over the counter melatonin? I am giving that to Kor now - works well for her.
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Post by rocko on Apr 8, 2008 16:23:02 GMT -5
yep, that was it...I didn't try it. should I? He still doesn't sleep well on a pretty regular basis.
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Post by sheyd on Apr 8, 2008 16:30:23 GMT -5
Melatonin is a substance we all have, and the amounts rise at night. It works well for kids with behavioral disorders, which makes me wonder if perhaps their levels don't rise at night. My doc said no biggie, it is a natural substance, can't hurt. There seems to be no side-effects that I could find online.
That said, my ex's wife is a doc, she thinks it shouldn't be given except if nighttime levels were checked and known to be not high enough - in other words - doctor monitored. They don't do that here, so I just tried it anyway. I figured if her levels were already good, it wouldn't work, right? It works - so her levels must not have been good. So... your decision!
She sleeps MUCH better on it - but her first three nights it doesn't help much.. if she misses one night, she has to start over again with three bad nights - although last time she missed it was only two bad nights... so maybe long term it won't even be necessary to give her the pills? Once she has been on it for three days- she doesn't get up AT ALL at night - it used to be sometimes 5 or more times. She still WAKES up - but so do adults - and she can get back to sleep herself pretty quickly. She also doesn't have the moaning nightmares.
Not sure, finding, if it would be something you would want or not - with his allergies and everything you would have to be so careful - but it might be worth asking the doc?
Shey
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Post by rocko on Apr 8, 2008 18:45:20 GMT -5
In my Autism parents group, most of them use it.
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Post by finding on Apr 8, 2008 23:14:09 GMT -5
My oldest boy used it for years until he had his tonsils and adnoids removed. 5 mgs a night or more, depending on if he would sleep or not. It only stays in your system about 45 minutes so if it doesn't kick in you can give them more.
I haven't ever used it for the youngest.
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Post by sheyd on Apr 9, 2008 11:13:59 GMT -5
The way I understood it is that it takes about 45 minutes to kick in - Kor usually takes it about 30 - 45 minutes before she even TRIES to sleep - but it works all night - I think it lasts longer, because it says you should have a long time to be able sleep... She takes about an hour to get to sleep on it, but stays sleeping better all night.
I think she takes 3 mg? One pill at its standard dose, at any rate.
Is it something you might want to try on the youngest?
Shey
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Post by Mel (cherry) on Apr 11, 2008 6:57:15 GMT -5
((HUGS)) I hated those. E used to have them when he was little. The first time it happened he was around two and I was in the house alone. It freaked me out bad, because I had never heard about them. He would literally climb me when I would go in to comfort him.
It is kinda weird cuz when I get stressed I dream of tornadoes, when he does it is spiders and being caught in webs. So he would be staring at his bed, scrambling to get away and there would be nothing there. Plus spiders freak me out anyways.........
He basically grew out of them. I never had to really do anything except deal with the few that he had.
Hang in there babe. Melatonine is a good way but it doesn't work for some people. If you find it isn't, look up Valerian root for kids. Melatonine didn't work for my insomnia, but the Valerian root worked really well.
Talk to you soon hun.
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