Toddler

My daughter has been a night owl since the moment she was born almost five years ago. When she was about 2 it really became an issue and her doctor recommended giving her benadryl to get her into a pattern/schedule over 2 weeks. It worked like a charm! We also included several routines that we go through each night. Although 1-2 times a year it seems like she goes into a new phase where she is scared of the dark, being alone etc. so we sometimes have to revert back to the benadryl for a couple weeks to keep her in the pattern:)

S.,

You are great women for taking on the responsiblity of your grandson. I have a friend who is a foster mom and she had a baby with drug exposure who had a hard time sleeping and calming down period. She would give him a warm bath and rub his feet before bed, she also played music that had a slow yet steady beat when she put him to bed and it really soothed him. You may also try one of those teddy bears that has makes sounds of the mothers womb or heart beat.

Best of luck to you and God Bless
J.

Start using lavender products in the evening. Lavender is a natural calming aromatherapy. They have so many lavender bathoils and lotions out there. There are also little lavender sachets to tuck under the pillow. Try giving him a whole body massage at bedtime. I bet it will work. Also, if he'll drink it, give him some camomile tea before bedtime. Celestial Seasonings makes a very tasty one. Just remember to limit all of the "No-no" things a few hours before betime... sweets, drinks, TV, video etc. I'm sure that you have also looked at his daytime routine. Tucker him out during the day, so he'll sleep at night. :)
Good luck.
S.

Hello,
One of the things that worked for my daughter, and we all have heard this one, is a schedule. At that age most children want to sleep 12-13 hours, just getting those hours when you want them is the hard part. I always put her to bed with a story, and her lovely. But prior to that the bath that could last for 45 mins. happend, I started with cooler water, and warmed it up a little prior to getting her out. With the cup of milk and book, she slept like a lion. J.

i would suggest a bedtime routine. have certain things that you do every night to help him off to dreamland. of course start out with a bath and then after that his jammies and maybe a book or just sit in a dimmed lighted room and sing to him. my 2 year old daughter has trouble going to sleep also and those are some of the things i do with her and it helps her so hopefully it will help your grandson. good luck!

You could try Melatonin. Sometimes when kids are drug or alcohol exposed, their circadian rythmes are messed up and melatonin helps the brain to get back to "normal".
I have a drug and alcohol exposed child also. My p-doc has also had me use benadryl in the past. She told me it was one of those drugs that was out of their system in about 4 hours, so it was OK to use.

Oh S. I really wish I had some ideas for you, but I had the same problem and took the WRONGE road. I put my baby to bed with me. Cartoon network and mommy right there! Three years later, I can't get her in her own bed alone!!!

S., when my one of my boys (I have two, ages 8 and 10)starting having a lot of problems sleeping when he was about 2.....the Dr. suggested giving him a low dose of benedryl to try to get him in a sleep patern. I was really concerned at first because I didn't want him to get addicted, dependent on the benedryl. I tried it for a couple of weeks, and IT WORKED! I would definetly call the dr. before trying anything like this, but it's an idea.

Hi S.,
I'm 42 as well, and what to commend you for taking care of your grandson. What a Blessing you are! My advice is to
try taking hime to a Chiropractor. His neck & spine are probably out of alignment. This would cause anyone to lose sleep. I would ask your friends & family who they would recommend, unless you already go see one yourself. My daughter was 5 days old when I had her adjusted (myself as well). I was stoved up on my left side & she was having a horrible time nursing on my left side as well, after the adjustment everthing was great. I also take her if she starts to get sick or has an ear infection. She(13mos) & my son(8) have been very healthy because of the chiropractic adjustments as well as the limited consumption of food colorings & high fructose corn syrup (which seems like its in EVERYTHING)!
Hope & pray that this helps!

L.

Try implementing a relaxing bedtime routine for him. At a certain time every night say OK it is bath time. Then have him put on his pajamas and sit or lay down to watch a short 30 to 45 minute movie let him pick it out. When that is over go into his bedroom with him while he lays in bed read him a story and then it is sleep time. I did this with my son till he was about 12 (then he read the story to me) and he always was able to fall asleep. Sometimes we still do this, we will sit down watch a movie or a TV program then we go to bed. Good Luck

Yes lavender products are a soothing mechanism. When my son was an infant he was very fussy. This worked miracles. Another thing I did was play jazz music on the nights that he was really fussy. So I would give him a combination of the bedtime lavender bath and play some soft jazz music, and he was out like a light. Hope this works.

My son also has trouble sleeping sometimes and my doctor reccomended sleepy time tea.It seems to work pretty well just warm it up and add a little bit of milk to it.You can buy it at kroger.I would read the package but I'm sure it would be alright to give him a little bit of the tea.

S.,

Does he fall asleep if you hold him or snuggle up with him? My 2 1/2 year old son prefers to cuddle up on the couch with me or his father, then we put him in bed later. As people living in this society, we are somehow told that babies are supposed to be tucked into a crib by themselves and made to learn to go to sleep alone. They still crave human contact, and, in fact, need it to grow. It is just less stress to be close while we still can, and make a transfer. This doesn't last, because our 5 year old son will only snuggle up to sleep if he is sick or just had a bad dream--mostly he prefers to fall asleep independently.

Is there a tune he likes you to sing? A cartoon like Winnie the Pooh that he falls asleep in front of if he watches it too late? A favorite story that would make him sleepy? You could even try one of those calming sound generators that have sounds like falling rain, the ocean, or a breeze.

Best wishes,
K.