Anxiety, possibly ADHD, evening behaviors
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Anonymous
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9 yo with anxiety and ODD. Possibly ADHD. On anxiety meds (Prozac, takes it in the AM), which helps. The worst time of day is evening. Dinner is tough sometimes (picky eater, and hunger is a trigger). Bedtime she gets...idk...frantic. Non stop motion, in our room a billion times, new questions, new concerns, busies herself with things like tidying up (which isn't usually her jam...lol). Takes forever to fall asleep (regardless of how tired she is or what she's eaten). This is the main time of sibling fighting and pushing buttons.
Would ADHD meds help? Is there something effective that's meant to target this time of day? Of course we'll ask the psychiatrist, but curious what kind of options we have. It's a stark contrast in the evening to all the progress we have made during the day. |
Anonymous
| Clonidine |
Anonymous
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Well, I'm not sure if Ellyn Satter food advice works for this profile, but you could look into her method and see if it seems worth trying.
I would also love ok at blue light and her circadian rhythm generally, and maybe moving her morning dose as late as possible |
Anonymous
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melatonin
on a couple of different days, try either: 1 mg liquid (maybe mixed in 20-30 ml of milk) or 2 mg of Natrol slow release (that is 2 of 1 mg tablets) |
Anonymous
PP here - the slow release can be given 1-2 hours before bedtime to start taking effect |
Anonymous
| Another option is hydroxyzine. Works well for anxiety driven sleep issues with 2 of my kids. |
Anonymous
| Melatonin is amazing for my anxious/ADHD kiddo. You can try it and see if it helps- but you only need like a quarter of a 1 mg. Try hard to not give more than you need. It’s also not a long term fix with our Dr ok. I have a family member who takes clonidine for sleep/adhd so agree with PP you can ask psychiatrist about that. |
Anonymous
+1 melatonin and hydroxyzine didn't even register in my kiddo's behavior AT ALL. Clonidine was like a miracle |
Anonymous
PP here - had you tried any other non-stimulants first? We are muddling through various combinations and it’s been so discouraging. |
Anonymous
Clonidine isn't a stimulant? But we tried trazadone and seroquel too. |
Anonymous
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Serve dinner earlier or give a big snack and then don't expect her to eat a full dinner? Always have a certain preferred food available? Separate kids as much as possible. Earlier bedtime. Make bedroom more inviting/relaxing... better lighting, sound machine, book on tape or sleep-inducing podcast? Also read Ross Greene...can you talk with your kid at a calm moment and ask for her suggestions?
Yes to trying melatonin and evaluating meds... could Prozac be given later in the day or split into two doses so it doesn't wear off as soon? |
Anonymous
| Bath with Epsom salt |
Anonymous
Sorry yes, I can see how that wasn’t clear. We have tried other non-stimulants but they haven’t worked. |
Anonymous
| Try magnesium first before you go to melatonin or drug route. We have found the CALM brand of powder dissolved in a little bit of juice at bedtime really helps him to relax. He has ADHD and OCD, and bedtime creates a lot of triggers. Once he’s asleep, he sleeps hard and solid. Thank God. Getting him to fall asleep is a two-hour grueling process. |
Anonymous
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Meltonin always worked for us. We used the Zarbees brand. Eventually, we stopped needing it.
I was prescribed hydroxyzine in summer 2020 for my own anxiety. It knocked me out anytime I took it, so now I only sometimes take it if I think I’ll have a hard time sleeping. It’s delightful. |