My 10 year old son cant fall asleep. Doc wants to start Melatonin. Thoughts?

[Fireballer 2,369]

Most nights, my son will come into our room and say he cant fall asleep. It started on Sunday nights, now its usually 4-6 nights a week. Sometimes its after 2am before he can fall asleep Ive talked to him at length about any stressors and he denies any. They just finished SOLs at school and we thought that was it. Nope. We've reduced screen time, sugar, caffeine, and everything else we can think of. I mean, what the he!! keeps a 10 year old up at night? We talked to his Doc and she wants to start Melatonin. Anyone else experience this?

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

Ive been using melatonin for a couple months now. Good stuff.

[frank 2,144]

I haven't slept for ten days

 

 

 

because that would be too long.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Do it. Kid needs sleep.

[penultimatestraw 473]

In general, I dont like the idea of starting a young kid on meds for what may become a chronic problem. That being said, melatonin is very benign, with little toxicity or side effects. And it isnt habit forming, nor prone to abuse.

 

Before I resorted to meds Id make sure his sleep hygiene is optimal. This means same bedtime every night in a quiet comfortable bed, limit the bed to sleeping only, dont eat or drink caffeine near bedtime and minimize naps. Try to identify outside influences which may be impeding his sleep. Probably the biggest of these are electronic devices, which not only demand our attention but provide artificial light than may disrupt the sleep/wake cycle.

 

ETA I see youve already done most of the above. Still seems like a recent phenomena which I bet is due to something that can be corrected. Until you figure it out, melatonin wont hurt in the short term.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Vodka. Works great for me.

[Fireballer 2,369]

In general, I dont like the idea of starting a young kid on meds for what may become a chronic problem. That being said, melatonin is very benign, with little toxicity or side effects. And it isnt habit forming, nor prone to abuse.

 

Before I resorted to meds Id make sure his sleep hygiene is optimal. This means same bedtime every night in a quiet comfortable bed, limit the bed to sleeping only, dont eat or drink caffeine near bedtime and minimize naps. Try to identify outside influences which may be impeding his sleep. Probably the biggest of these are electronic devices, which not only demand our attention but provide artificial light than may disrupt the sleep/wake cycle.

 

ETA I see youve already done most of the above. Still seems like a recent phenomena which I bet is due to something that can be corrected. Until you figure it out, melatonin wont hurt in the short term.

This is pretty much my thoughts. Thanks.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

Start will lowest dose. Less than 3mg if u can find it. The only side effects i have heard of after prolonged use is possible night terrors.

Your body naturally produces it when your in darkness. Does his room have alot of light?

 

It could be just good ole fashioned puberty lol. All these hormones in the damn chicken nuggets

[5-Points 2,716]

If he can't sleep, maybe he just has too much stored energy. Get him into swimming or soccer or some other physical activity before putting him on meds. There's almost always a natural solution to that sort of problem.

[kutulu 1,542]

Box fan

[shotsup 831]

Vodka. Works great for me.

For you or your son ??

 

 

When I couldn't sleep my prents made me a Rock and Rye. When I was sick my parents made me a Rock and Rye.

It had fruit. Had to be healthy for a 10 year old. Right ?

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

For you or your son ??

 

 

When I couldn't sleep my prents made me a Rock and Rye. When I was sick my parents made me a Rock and Rye.

It had fruit. Had to be healthy for a 10 year old. Right ?

Don't be stupid. If my kid drinks my booze, I will kill him.

 

If he buys his own vodka ...

[fandandy 3,311]

Does he get much sunlight? https://lifespa.com/how-sun-exposure-affects-sleep-and-melatonin-production/

[shotsup 831]

Don't be stupid. If my kid drinks my booze, I will kill him.

 

If he buys his own vodka ...

Yeah I am at that stage of life now with me son. Come home and beers are missing or bottle drained. I'm like dude - just let me know I have to pick up one the way home !!!!

[penultimatestraw 473]

If he can't sleep, maybe he just has too much stored energy. Get him into swimming or soccer or some other physical activity before putting him on meds. There's almost always a natural solution to that sort of problem.

Hey, we agree on something!

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Yeah I am at that stage of life now with me son. Come home and beers are missing or bottle drained. I'm like dude - just let me know I have to pick up one the way home !!!!

Not sure we agree. I won't buy for my kids and if they drink mine, I will kill them. If they have their own, and I did not pay or procure it, then I will (eventually) turn a blind eye.

[shotsup 831]

Not sure we agree. I won't buy for my kids and if they drink mine, I will kill them. If they have their own, and I did not pay or procure it, then I will (eventually) turn a blind eye.

My son is 19 - works had and does well in college. He drinks responsibility- not like me. I do not nickel and dime him. There is always alcohol in the house. I buy for him when he wants some special IPA or craft beer.

 

Just don't touch my stash.

[5-Points 2,716]

Hey, we agree on something!

 

I can be downright sensible about some things, doc.

[wiffleball 4,631]

Put him to sleep with a blowjob.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

For you or your son ??

 

 

When I couldn't sleep my prents made me a Rock and Rye. When I was sick my parents made me a Rock and Rye.

It had fruit. Had to be healthy for a 10 year old. Right ?

I got sick once at my grandmothers house. She gave me a hot toddy. Basically a coffe mug half full of sassafras tea, half whiskey, spoon of honey and a slice of lemon.

 

I was 11. Knocked me the fock out. My mom was pissed.

[Djgb13 2,338]

Im not really a fan of giving kids medications unless they absolutely need it. Their bodies are still young and developing. Likely the cause, he is either napping too much during the day or hasnt burned off enough energy. If you prefer, you can give him a small dose of it for one night but I wouldnt make it a habit of doing it. But with enough activity during the day he will naturally be tired and fall asleep

[mobb_deep 917]

Is he playing games/iPod/tv before bed?

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

Have you considered printing out a few political threads from here? That puts me to sleep.

[mobb_deep 917]

Have you considered printing out a few political threads from here? That puts me to sleep.

Or try every post naomi has ever made.

[tanatastic 2,061]

I recommend melatonin, it’s harmless and not a drug. Get the strawberry flavored chewed pills.

[Voltaire 4,554]

Put him to sleep with a blowjob.

Melania > Melatonin

[Voltaire 4,554]

I mean, what the he!! keeps a 10 year old up at night?

 

It could be he's worried about the national debt he's inheriting ... more likely it's Voldemort hiding in his closet.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

My brother was the same way. His biological clock may just naturally be off. My brother would just sit up all night. He was always on the cusp of being late for school or actually missing the bus. My parents gave him books to read to keep him occupied. He didnt overload on sugar or TV, and he didnt have any electronic devices in his room. He is still like this

[vuduchile 1,940]

If he can't sleep, maybe he just has too much stored energy. Get him into swimming or soccer or some other physical activity before putting him on meds. There's almost always a natural solution to that sort of problem.

How about a real sport so his dad doesnt lose sleep over his kid turning gay?

[GuardBum 73]

Melatonin is a natural hormone already in your body. The supplement just helps replace what the body is not producing. You may even be able to stop or reduce the sup once your son gets back to a normal sleep cycle. My son takes and has on and off for 5 years. He gets himself out of his cycle by playing video games and not getting outside or eating right and that causes restlessness and insomnia. So then he needs to start back up again for a few weeks or so.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

Melatonin is a natural hormone already in your body. The supplement just helps replace what the body is not producing. You may even be able to stop or reduce the sup once your son gets back to a normal sleep cycle. My son takes and has on and off for 5 years. He gets himself out of his cycle by playing video games and not getting outside or eating right and that causes restlessness and insomnia. So then he needs to start back up again for a few weeks or so.

Maybe you need to shape your kids tendencies better?

[edjr 5,547]

Vodka. Works great for me.

 

 

Sometimes when we go out, I will go ghetto and fill a water bottle with vodka.

 

last week, I took it out to make a drink with it at home and left it on the kitchen island.

 

My son goes to the kitchen to get some water, comes running into the living room screaming. Oops

 

He said he only got some on his lips and didn't drink any, said it burned

[5-Points 2,716]

How about a real sport so his dad doesnt lose sleep over his kid turning gay?

 

I suggested those two specifically because of the amount of activity involved. Soccer has you running/jogging/walking for 45 minutes a half. Swimming is great for burning energy too. There's too much standing around in other sports for a 10 year old to burn off much steam.

[TD Ryan2 314]

good luck with this Fireballer - it's amazing how many oddball, unexpected things can go wrong with your kids - and at the time, they seem catastrophic but (hopefully) eventually you look back and it was a phase that didn't last long (even though it seemed an eternity when you were going thru it).

 

My fist though was exercise?

How active is he? My boy (8) literally runs himself into exhaustion every day to the point where I often have to carry him up to bed.

[Mike Honcho 4,010]

I usually fall right asleep after sex, maybe you could get him a hooker?

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

I usually fall right asleep after sex, maybe you could get him a hooker?

Or see if he has a hot teacher!

[Mike Honcho 4,010]

Or see if he has a hot teacher!

 

 

Seriously, this place is like Quora, except better.

[Mookz 1,287]

Box fan

So am I

[MDC 5,877]

Ask HT what to do. His kids sleep 20+ hours per day.

[Baker Boy 1,479]

Do not over look that the cause of his insomnia could be anxiety/stress related. Just because he says everything is OK doesn’t mean it is true. The fact that it started on Sunday nights would point me toward school. Talking to a Shrink might help get at the cause?