Melatonin

DonsJMUBride

Hi Ladies - 

Like many ASD kids my son struggles with sleeping. C is 3.5 and we have struggled with this since he was a baby. He will go to bed in his own room pretty easily if he does not take a nap during the day.  Every night he will wake up and come in our room.  Sometimes he goes back to sleep sometime he lays there and talks to himself and rolls around.  I'm a light sleeper and he keeps me up most nights.  We tried closing his door and letting him cry but it usually end up with him waking his sister up and then he doesn't go back to sleep.  We converted the extra bed room into a sensory room and now all 3 kids are in one room. (EEEKK)

I feel like I've tried everything from weighted blankets, diets and bed time baths. Another ASD mom recommended trying melatonin.  I've done some research but I wanted to see if any other moms have used it and what type of response they got.  I'm really just looking for something that will keep him in his bed all night. Any advice is grately appreciated. 

 Thank you!! 

Karalyn44

As a general rule, melatonin is really only effective at helping you go to sleep, not helping you stay asleep. DS1 takes it, and it does pretty much eliminate the 30-90 minutes we would hear him talking/singing/playing after going to bed, but he still wakes frequently and is a fairly light sleeper.

That being said, every kid is different and it more than likely can't hurt to try it, but I wouldn't get your hopes up that it will be the solution. I would talk to your pediatrician or preferably your developmental pedi to get their opinion on type and dosage before trying it on your own. It may be "natural," but that doesn't mean it's harmless.

lindzed

I have the same problem.  I tried melatonin, but it only helped Adam o to sleep not stay asleep.