our-nightime-godsend

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This is a blog. But the blog is written by people who daily care for Autistic children. Melatonin is highly recognized by many as a good supplement for sleep, as in the case below. However, my Dad, who is an insomniac, it didn't help. Maybe, that's because he doesn't know how to relax or turn off his mind. :-) Blessings, Joy

Autistic Conjecture of the Day

Dazed and amazed by the theories, research, and snake oil offered up as *THE* answer to autism - both its causation and cure? Well, so am I. On this, my little notebook in cyberspace, I will be collecting and publishing articles from both the past and present, dealing with autism from the medical, behaviorist, personal, naturopathic, and parenting points of view. May we all, in the midst of these multitudinous words, find what we need to move on with courage, strength, and dignity.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Our Nightime Godsend

Melatonin is a nightly ritual at our house. And not for the child you'd expect. Frequently recommended by doctors for children with autism experiencing sleep disorders, as well as jet lagged individuals, I had decided it was not a supplement necessary in our home. Jakob, in spite of his autism, is a great sleeper, and wakes up happy and refreshed the majority of mornings. He's also willing to nap as needed. His allegedly NT sister, however, has NEVER given in to sleep easily. As an infant, she was difficult to calm. As a toddler she'd cry herself into exhaustion every night. As a preschooler, she'd protest for one to two hours, then wake up several times in the middle of the night, crying again. Finally, I caved. Out came the melatonin, and sure enough, within two hours of consuming 500 mcg, Autumn began to nod off. I recently consulted a developmental pediatrician, as Miss A. is exhibiting many of the traits her brother has. His first advice, on the sleep front, was to double the dosage. Now we are down to about a half hour between consumption and nighty-night. Autumn still awakens in the middle of the night, sometimes crying. But to have her go down easily is an excellent first step...and hopefully one that will enable her to better cope with the coming day's challenges.AUTISTIC CONJECTURE OF THE DAYKids tucked in with a dose of melatoninBy Rinaldi for USA TODAYARE YOUR CHILDREN GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP?About 15% to 25% of children have difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. School-age children still need nine to 12 hours of sleep at night.Your children are getting the right amount of sleep if they:-- Can fall asleep within 15 to 30 minutes.-- Can wake up easily at the time they need to get up.-- Are awake and alert all day and don't need a nap during the day. Check with your child's teacher and make sure your child is able to stay awake and alert during school.To find out if your children are sleep-deprived, ask yourself:-- Do they fall asleep in the car almost every time you drive with them?-- Do you have to wake them up almost every morning?-- Do they seem overtired, cranky, irritable, aggressive, overemotional or hyperactive, or have trouble thinking during the day?-- On some nights, do your children "crash" much earlier than their usual bedtime?If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, your children may not be getting enough sleep.Source: University of Michigan Health SystemLike millions of parents, Lynne Bruton tried all the usual ways to get her three children to bed on time: turning the television off 30 minutes before bedtime, stopping them from eating and drinking well before going to sleep and sticking to a nightly routine that included sitting with her children in their rooms to help them "wind down."But sometimes these methods didn't work — particularly with her oldest son, Clint. That meant he would get to sleep too late, which resulted in a tired and cranky boy in the morning.Two years ago, Bruton discovered a new way to keep Clint, then 12, on a regular sleep schedule. At night she gave him melatonin — the nutritional supplement that is available at any pharmacy or health food store and is mainly promoted as an aid for travelers who have jet lag.Almost immediately, the pill helped him fall asleep quickly and wake up fresh the next morning."It's been great," says Bruton, of Abilene, Texas. "With three kids, it has changed the dynamic of getting the kids ready in the morning."FIND MORE STORIES IN: Texas | New Jersey | Drug Administration | Rhode Island | Boulder | Hospital | Charlottesville | Abilene | Pediatrics | Dale | Quality | Colo.-based | Hackensack University Medical Center | Nutrition Business Journal | Clint | University of Virginia ChildrenBruton has also at times given melatonin to her 10-year-old son, Dale, and it has worked.Parents who have tried it say the pill has been nothing short of miraculous in getting their children to sleep. It's a trend that is occurring despite doctors' general reluctance to endorse melatonin as a sleeping aid for healthy children.The Nutrition Business Journal says sales of melatonin supplements rose 11% in 2006 to $80 million. That followed a 7% jump in 2005. Sales were about $60 million in 2003, the Boulder, Colo.-based research publication estimates."We have seen tremendous growth of the use of melatonin by parents," says Zafarlotfi, clinical director of the Institute for Sleep-Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. "Melatonin is very useful for some teens who cannot get to sleep."Zafarlotfi says occasional use of melatonin for children is fine as long as the dosage does not exceed 3 milligrams. She does not recommend giving it to kids younger than 10.Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain, helps regulate the body's sleep-wake cycle, and its production is determined by light and dark. When darkness falls, the gland produces more melatonin, which promotes sleep.Safe — with a few caveatsMelatonin supplements have proved safe and effective in numerous studies for helping adults with jet lag. More than two dozen studies have shown that melatonin also helps children who have insomnia, and it has few or no side effects.After reviewing numerous studies, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 2005 concluded that melatonin supplements are safe if used for days or weeks.The agency found evidence that melatonin is effective in treating people who have delayed sleep syndrome, who chronically tend to fall asleep well after midnight.Nonetheless, medical groups have been cautious to endorse melatonin for children because nearly all the studies of melatonin on children were tested on those who had autism or other development disabilities or were blind. These children are given supplements because their bodies either don't produce melatonin or do so only erratically. The studies on children have been small, and there are no reports on the long-term effects of melatonin in children.Doctors also worry that because melatonin is sold as a supplement, its manufacturing is not as stringently regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as if it were a prescription drug."This is not a treatment for the healthy child who just doesn't want to go to bed or the child with occasional trouble falling asleep," says Marcia Buck, clinical pharmacy specialist at the University of Virginia Children's Hospital in Charlottesville.Melatonin is most beneficial for children who suffer brain injuries in which the brain no longer produces enough melatonin, she says.Still, about 15% of pediatricians have recommended melatonin to help kids who have insomnia, according to a 2002 report in Pediatrics.Factors to consider firstParents who consider melatonin for a child should first discuss this with the child's pediatrician, who can rule out medical reasons for insomnia, such as breathing difficulties or behavioral conditions such as attention-deficit disorder, Buck says.Also, before giving a child melatonin, parents should try changing the child's behavior, such as by limiting television before bedtime, she says.Mike Dawson of North Kingstown, R.I., says melatonin has made a huge difference the past four years in getting his 10-year-old son, who has autism, to sleep. If the boy doesn't take it, he's awake until 11 p.m. or midnight."It made his life more peaceful both at night and during the day," Dawson says. "His demeanor and anxiety improved, and we all felt better because this giant stressor was alleviated."

// posted by @ 7:35 PM

About Me

Name: Location: Pacific Northwest, United States

I chose the road less traveled and embarked upon the path of single motherhood. At 44 I gave birth to boy/girl twins who are the joy and focus of my life. I have recently abandoned all my material possessions and financial security to join the ranks of starving students. I just completed my Master's in Special Education, with emphases in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education. But...hold on folks, she is not yet finished. This fall, I will complete a third emphasis, and will earn accreditation as a (what else?) Autism Specialist. In the meanwhile, I am available for hire as a reading specialist/tutor, and early interventionist providing in-home therapies and services. You know where to contact me.

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