sleep remedies for 5 year old

[coffeemate]

My 5 yr. old DD experiences night-time terrors and it is wearing us all out! I've read all the posts (and more!) of these terrors and how to address them.... I can't get excited about them disappearing about the age of seven.

She'll usually experience these about 2-3 hours after going to bed. They seem "classic." Sometimes it's tied to going potty, but sometimes not. Just screaming bloody-murder. She shares a room with her older sister, who is so very frustrated with the night-time screaming. It is not every night, but seems cyclical. Sometimes there are weeks in-between, and sometimes it is every single night for weeks.

We like to go camping in the summer with friends, but I've sworn off camping until she outgrows this. Screaming in the forest is nuts. Sound carries.....!!!!! (speaking from experience!)

My question is this: has anyone ever tried any natural remedies to aid their child who has night-terrors? I've read about Serenite Jr. and other remedies. Anyone have experience with this? I am not anticipating the use of such on a regular basis, but more for when we have company sleeping over (like this weekend!), or when we go camping, etc.

Are there other things people have used that seem to help? Chamomile tea? Magnesium? I'm at the end of my rope with this. :?

Thanks for any / all suggestions!

[luvmy4sons]

HMMM...You probably have already done this, but have you asked her if anything has occured or happened that is frightening her? Also have you prayed over the room and anointed it with oil dedicating it to God's holy purposes? Hope that doesn't sound too out there! :oops:

ALSO I have used L-Tyrosine safely for many years. My third son had some sleep issues( thought not night terrors) and he took it for many years very frequently. The only precaution I read is that you should go off of it every couple of months because it becomes ineffective. It is an amino acid. Seemed to really help him. :)

I take Valerian Root. I don't read any precautions for it, but I am always leery of giving herbs to children without a STRONG knowledge base on all the potential side effects. I take it, and it works wonderfully to help aid my sleep. I don't know about a 5 year old though. I HAVE used L-Tyrosine in one that young with no issues. :)

[coffeemate]

Leslie, thanks for responding. You're a very faithful encourager (from what I read!)

We have had our small group pray for our DD and this, for lack of any other way to say it, seemed to "work." But that was a few months ago, and though there was a break in the cycle, it has come back full force again. (Maybe I need to bring it up again!) We pray over her before bed, but never annointed the room..... Hmmm......

I'll google the l-tyrosine thought. Never heard of that. Can you describe its use more? Why specifically did you use it? Do you just buy that at your local health store?

Thanks.

[Reneemomto5]

Tara, so sorry things have not gotten any better. I have been praying for you and your daughter daily. As you know Bobby suffered from them, and you know the story.

Sadly I have no great advice to offer. And wow if something works please post it, because many would love to hear of a remedy that works. Bobby was one that just had to outgrow it, we made it bearable with what we talked about the other week, turning on the lights, washing his face with warm water, showing him in the mirrow "look Bobby you're okay." reading a book or something that calmed him at the time and he would fall back to sleep. It did last for at least a year. And yes its very, very draining on the mom, dad, and sleepy brothers and sister.

Maybe an out there suggestion, but what about a call or trip to your ped. Maybe a urinary infection or something related to the bladder. You know what, at the time Bobby did this he wasn't completely potty trained at night, and we took him to the dr. The assured us he would grow out of the terrors and his bladder wasn't growing as fast as he was. In time both improved. Just a thought.

Thinking and praying for you friend.
Hugs

[coffeemate]

Thanks for the continued prayers, Renee. That blesses me! Sometimes I think I'll NEVER sleep through the night and I get so discouraged. Pregnancies, four kids, and now five years into the last and I'm STILL not sleeping through! A friend of mine told me that once the final child is sleeping through the night faithfully and life looks "good..." that's when I'll hit menopause and I'LL not be sleeping through the night! GReat!!!! :D

[luvmy4sons]

Leslie, thanks for responding. You're a very faithful encourager (from what I read!)

We have had our small group pray for our DD and this, for lack of any other way to say it, seemed to "work." But that was a few months ago, and though there was a break in the cycle, it has come back full force again. (Maybe I need to bring it up again!) We pray over her before bed, but never annointed the room..... Hmmm......

I'll google the l-tyrosine thought. Never heard of that. Can you describe its use more? Why specifically did you use it? Do you just buy that at your local health store?

Thanks.

I started using it for my third son when he was having episodes that couldn't be defined( we thought maybe seizures but they said they weren't). He wasn't sleeping and he seemed to be in a fog. I have since read that it is recommended to aid in relaxation and sleep. We noted that it help him sleep! It helped his mood level out throughout the day as well and his fog lifted. Later we learned he had had an unusual reaction to Benadryl, but the L-tyrosine helped him with a few other issues besides his mood and the fog, like his sleep.

According to my Prescription for Nutritional Healing L-Tyrosine:

"is a precursor of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, which regulate mood, among other things. Tyrosine acts as a mood elevator, a lack of adequate amounts of tyrosine leads to a deficiency of norepinephrine in the brain which in turn can result in depression...supplemental L-tyrosine has been used for stress reduction and research suggests it may be helpul against chronic fatigue and narcolepsy. It has been used to help individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, allergies, and headaches, as well as persons undergoing withdrawal from drugs. It may also help people with Parkinsons disease. Natural sources of tyrosine include almonds, avocados, bananas, lima beans, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds, and dairy products. Supplements of L-tyrosine should be take at night with a high carbohydrate meal so that it does not have to compete for absoprtion with other amino acids."