A mom writes in asking for advice about her 9-year-old daughter, who struggles when she tries to go to sleep at night. This mom has tried everything — nightlights, music, limiting electronics usage before bed, CBD gummies, melatonin, and more — to varying degrees of success, but she ultimately ends up back in the same frustrating spot. Any advice for her?
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A member of the community asks:
“My 9-year-old struggles to sleep: Advice?
Need advice. My daughter is 9 and she struggles with going to sleep at night. I have tried music and a cool nightlight, taking away electronics about an hour before bed. I’ve tried melatonin for kids; that worked for a while but doesn’t now. I also was using CBD gummies for a while but her pediatrician told me not to because they don’t know proper dosage and if it’s really safe for her to use. So I stopped giving those to her. The CBD ones actually worked, calmed her down enough to go to sleep at night.
But I am at my wit’s end. I don’t give her caffeine before bed and no late-night snacks either. It’s now to the point where I have to lay in her room with her until she falls asleep. She says her body won’t let her calm down enough to go to sleep. Any suggestions would be great because I am all out of ideas and am about to take her back in the see her pediatrician if things don’t get better. TIA.”
– Mamas Uncut Community Member
Community Advice for This Mom Whose Daughter Struggles to Go to Sleep at Night
To see what advice the Mamas Uncut Facebook community has for this mom in need, read the comments of the post embedded below.
Advice Summary
The community offered this mom in need a lot of great advice. Read some of their responses below.
“I’d give her back the CBD gummies if they worked. You can read up on it and it would have a lot less adverse side effects than some drug at the pharmacy.”
“You say no caffeine before bed, try no caffeine at all. Kids really don’t need to be drinking soda or tea or coffee. As much play outside at the weather permits during the day. Also, no tv or tablet time after dinner may help.”
“My oldest son (almost 7) has to take clonidine in order to sleep. He has ADHD and it seems to cause a lot of insomnia for him. My youngest son (almost 3) has an unofficial ADHD diagnosis and his doctor has us give him Benadryl on his bad nights…
… I am 29. I take either Benadryl or clonidine for sleep. I have ADHD, anxiety, and PTSD. Personally I would start looking into why she has issues with insomnia because in a lot of cases addressing the root issue helps to address the insomnia itself.”
“This system:
1. Warm bath with Dr. Teal’s 3-in-1 lavender wash
2. Dr. Teal’s Kids lavender sleep lotion
3. ZzzzQuil Kids gummies…
… Kid you not, works like a charm with my youngest who is autistic and has night terrors. He sleeps through the night in his own bed and doesn’t have the night terrors much anymore!”
“Diffuse some lavender in her room. I like the suggestion of the weighted blanket too! I caution the use of music rather than a white noise machine. Music can sometimes be a stimulant to people rather than something that calms them. I’m a musician and most of the time, if music is playing I’m concentrating on what’s happening in the music – even if it’s at a very low volume. I’d move to rain sounds or specifically white noise sounds and try that!”
“A weighted blanket! My son has a sensory processing disorder and has the same issue.”
“I am not one that would normally go straight to this BUT check out the symptoms of ADHD. That may be the issue. One way to see is of caffeine helps her relax. Try giving her a little bit and see if that helps. Caffeine has the reverse affect on kids with ADHD.”
“I second the weighted blanket. Also, as long as you are giving her CBD from a reputable place and not just random ones on Amazon, you’re fine!”
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