Autism and Clonodine. Any experiences?

I have a 6 year old son with autism. He has major sleep issues, more like not sleeping. His Developmental Specialist has decided to try him on Clonodine. We had previously done Melatonin 3-5mg with varying results. It either works great or doesn’t work at all. He will sleep 10pm-2am and then he is done. The reason for switching meds is because not sleeping has effected school. I would like to hear from anyone who has had experience with Clonodine. I did quite a bit of research and I work in a hospital so I know what it is and does but I am still a little wary. Any side effects that I should be worried about? Please share any good or bad stories. My husband & I know that we are not alone.
Thanks to all.
The first week he will get 1/4 of a .1mg tablet then slowly increase to the whole pill. He will only be getting it at night.
How long until we know if it is working or not?

My son whom is five with a mood disorder is on this medication along with Risperdal. When he was first put on Clonidine he got told me for a couple days when he woke up that his head felt funny. This went away soon after waking up, and within a few days from starting. Giving him a drink and a light snack before rising helped. Once you start this medication you need to use caution when stopping. You can not just stop it without doctor’s supervision because his blood pressure could drop too low. Also I do not give my son any cough medicine while on this medication. It could cause his blood pressure to drop to low and he could get real sick and die. DO NOT GIVE ANY COUGH MEDICINE WITHOUT DOCTOR”S APPROVAL….

Homeopathy and Autism?

Is these a homoeopathic “treatment” (don’t know if that’s the right word to use) that would help a child with severe autism to sleep or would encourage a sleep pattern. Was determined to not go down the melatonin route but he starts school in September and having only 5 hrs sleep a night I think he may struggle. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. He’s 4.5 yrs.

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hi ange,, some far all your answers are from non autistic family members so what the #### do they know??? (sorry,,a bit hormonal!! lol) 1st let me say, melatonin is a derivative of the natural melatonin we produce, it tells us when its time to sleep, our boys tend not to produce enough so that’s why its prescribed. i was like you and held off for a long time till i got to crisis point, so i “gave in”, feeling like somehow i was a failure as a parent having to resort to medication. however, the morning after the 1st dose, i realised it was the best thing i could ever do for him, he felt so much better, his behavior improved, he was able to learn more and the colour in his face was better,,, i wish i had done it much earlier. and of course its greatly improved life for the rest of the family.

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it doesn’t work for all children but it changed our lives, i don’t feel guilty in the slightest, i just feel bad for not doing it sooner! lol
as for homeopathy, matthew had a lot of treatment when he was younger, i swear it helped his bowels and also helped him to react to pain normally, as before he showed no pain response at all when he hurt him self and he also used to purposefully drag his hand thru nettles and brambles, now, how could that be a placebo effect when he didn’t know what the pills were for? it may help with sleep, who knows? it wont hurt to try. also try giving him a slow release carb snack like flapjack before bed and limit drinks before bed, ive heard that can help too as alot of kids autistic or not wake too early if they are wet and hungry.

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matthew now sleeps from 7pm till around 6ish but that’s with 5 mls melatonin and sticky backed black plastic on his windows . he will occasionally wake at 3 still but that’s usually for a reason, like brewing an ear infection, hungry, or wet. i also use a BT baby monitor as it has lullabies on which are controlled from the parents unit, i put the music on at bed time (lasts 15 mins) so he associates it with drifting off to sleep and now if he wakes too early instead of going in to him (which he thinks is great fun!) i just press the button from my bedside and he listens to the music which in most cases sends him back off to sleep! if that doesn’t work i sometimes have to give him more melatonin in the night.
remember, its not a sleeping pill, and its not addictive.
good luck! take care

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autism and melatonin help?

my son who is autistic has just been prescribed melatonin 3mg at night to help with sleep and behaviour, hes had it for two nights now and if anything hes got worse and appears scared and really agitated, any one have any ideas or similar experiances or does any one know of any side effects of this stuff. sensible answers only please.

My son is 21 and high functioning autistic, by that I mean he drives and works. When he was a kid though he almost drove me out of my mind–constantly climbing, running and taking things apart. I had to always hold him by the hand or he’d run off and get into trouble. For instance one time we were checking into a motel and he managed to climb up on the roof of the motel! around age 7!
Once I tried meds-they only made him much worse [for 2 weeks.] so I took him off and I just applied good old child rearing techniques. I thought why should I allow chemicals to alter a developing brain? no, I felt guilty.So I spent all these yrs. working with him, mainly do to Jesus and a good bap. church, part time home schooling, and discipline, some sports, and it has surely paid off-I took full control and it became my life–but after all he is my son. Now life is relaxed and wonderful.

What will help her sleep all night?

I have a 3yr old daughter on the autism spectrum and we’re still struggling with getting her to sleep all night. Right now she takes 100mg of trazodone along with 7.5mg of melatonin. Sometimes this combo works and other times it doesn’t. We never know when it will work; she’ll sleep all night for 3 nights in a row but then get up at 3am for the other 4 nights! Are there any othe meds that could work? She’s already tried clonidine. It worked for awhile then she grew tolerant. Every now and then I’ll give her benedryl when she does wake up. It puts her right back to sleep most of the time. Other times the dose seems to just not kick in and she’ll still be awake. It’s just driving me crazy so any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks:)

Your daughter’s sleep pattern may not have anything at all to do with her autism, nor with the medications. It’s not that unusual for a toddler her age to wake up in the night and play. They don’t exactly have strict definitions of the appropriate time and place for doing things. The jury is still out as to the efficacy of melatonin as well, and truthfully it doesn’t appear to work quite the way you might like it to. It’s not a good idea to give her Benadryl either, unless there is a medical reason such as an allergy. Even Benadryl doesn’t always put a child to sleep, and in some cases it can actually wire a small child up. Even I don’t always go to sleep taking it, and there are times I am wired up afterward, and I am not a toddler. When you daughter wakes at night, you have a choice. You can encourage her to play quietly in bed until she goes back to sleep on her own, or you can fight with her. Since you can’t exactly force her to sleep, all that choice does is leave you sleep deprived. As long as the house and dangerous items are secure, it’s usually best to tell them to play quiet in the bed and stay in their room. You can use a baby monitor to keep check on things, and at least get in a snooze. During the day, see if you can up the amount of physical activity in the afternoon. If she is physically tired out, chances are she will sleep through the night better. If she is taking an afternoon nap, be sure that gets over by mid afternoon as well. Don’t let her sleep past 3pm, nor for more than an hour or so. Get her out to run and play after that, and you should have better luck. I have four kids, all normal, and they all did the same thing when they were about that age. Had one that liked to watch the Late Show with David Letterman, and that took some serious discourament to stop. Sounds like she is more normal toddler than not, there, at least with this.

What all do you need to put on a school medical form?

Do you need to put all medications you take? Does this include birth control pills? What if you take Ibuprophen or Benedryll sometimes for a headache or if you can’t sleep? Would you need to include melatonin? What if you are getting on a new medication, but aren’t on it at the time your filling out the form? Because I may be getting on some anxiety medication, and we’re revising the forms soon (I won’t be on it by them). Do you have to list only physical conditions? Or do mental disorders like ADHD, autism, etc. apply as well. What about allergies that aren’t food or medicine (like if your allergic to a specific detergent)? How through is it suppose to be exactly?
yeah, but my dad doesn’t know every medication I’m on, so he told me to fill it out next time.

yeah u fill it out. i always had to fill stuff out for my dad or myself as well.

i wud write it all down. i will tell u why. if they catch u with the pills and u didnt write it down. they will ask why and be suspicious of u.

dont write down detergents .. unless someone is going to wash ur clothes.. more like bee stings, meds etc to write down.. u cant really write too much tho.

relax its guna be ok

all the best

Restless leg syndrome in a child but whole body, any ideas?

My son is 3 1/2 and has autism, for the past 16 nights he has been unable to settle himself to sleep, he jerks sort of like restless leg syndrome but it’s his whole body he wants to settle and gets upset because he can’t our paediatrician wants us to try melatonin but I’m not keen as nobody seems to know if there are any long term effects. OT doesn’t seem to know what it could be, it’s a long shot but wondered if anyone had any suggestions.

Get the melatonin from your paediatrician. The majority of children with autism seem to suffer from sleep problems and night terrors. My own daughter sleeps for a maximum of two hours a night and then wakes the whole of the house up. Her paediatrician suggested melatonin and I was worried about side effects, however after researching it thoroughly there appears to be very few side effects. We started her on a low dose and it did enable her to sleep for about six hours without any visible side effects. We have had to increase the dose for it to remain effective and as she gets older she does not have it every night. Melatonin is a substance that occurs naturally in the body and regulates our sleep clock. I have since used it to overcome jet lag after long haul flights and had no side effects at all. Give the melatonin a try as it is the least harmful of all the drugs available and it should give your son some rest. Good luck.

Restless leg syndrome in a child but whole body not just legs?

My son is 3 1/2 and has autism, for the past 16 nights he has been unable to settle himself to sleep, he jerks sort of like restless leg syndrome but it’s his whole body he wants to settle and gets upset because he can’t our paediatrician wants us to try melatonin but I’m not keen as nobody seems to know if there are any long term effects. OT doesn’t seem to know what it could be, it’s a long shot but wondered if anyone had any suggestions.

He could be having a mild seizure. My son has a brain condition called Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum. He is at high risk for autism, seizures etc because part of his brain is missing. You should ask your pediatrician to refer you to a neurologist. Some children can have them in their sleep for years before anyone knows. It is just an avenue to look into. Also, a child seizure is different from an adult’s. If that is not the case… I recommend tiring the little guy out. Get him so tired, he passes out. Let him run around the house 50 times, whatever it takes. My nephew used to not be able to sleep and my sister figured out, the more physical things he did before bed, the more likely he was to go to sleep!!! Good Luck!!! I hope that helps!

Autism and Clonodine. Any experiences?

I have a 6 year old son with autism. He has major sleep issues, more like not sleeping. His Developmental Specialist has decided to try him on Clonodine. We had previously done Melatonin 3-5mg with varying results. It either works great or doesn’t work at all. He will sleep 10pm-2am and then he is done. The reason for switching meds is because not sleeping has effected school. I would like to hear from anyone who has had experience with Clonodine. I did quite a bit of research and I work in a hospital so I know what it is and does but I am still a little wary. Any side effects that I should be worried about? Please share any good or bad stories. My husband & I know that we are not alone.
Thanks to all.
The first week he will get 1/4 of a .1mg tablet then slowly increase to the whole pill. He will only be getting it at night.
How long until we know if it is working or not?

I can’t help you with the Clonodine. I was going to mention the melatonin, but you got that one already.

Have you considered the gfcf diet? I’ve heard from a lot of parents that switching to the diet makes the sleep issues go away.

Yeast overgrowth can also cause sleep issues. Especially if you find that he doing a lot of giggling too.

Biomedical treatments can do wonders for autistic kids, in behavior, symptoms and sleep as well.

Here is a great forum if you want more info, or if you want to chat with other parents of autistic kids for questions and support.

http://www.autismweb.com/forum/

Autism author needs help. Do you have a child on the spectrum? Can you help?

Hi, my name is Kara and I am calling all parents and caregivers who have children on the Autism spectrum to help me. I am writing a very unique book that has multiple viewpoints and advice to help our children on the spectrum. I have two children who have been diagnosed with Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and Aspergers. This book comes from my own need, but more importantly for all those I’ve helped and to those still in need of help.

I quickly realized that each child on the spectrum is unique. What works for one child does nothing for the next and vice versa. It got me thinking: This is a spectrum disorder so why is there not a book that offers a spectrum of advice? That’s when I decided to write it.

Go Here To Learn More About Autism

I am taking on a huge burden by collecting and reading through thousands of questionnaires. That is where I need you! If you have a child on the spectrum visit my website at www.TheManyFacesOfAutism.com and fill out my questionnaire. My site explains in more detail what my project is all about and how I am donating 50% of the profits back to Autism charities. By participating you also get a free autographed copy.

This is a huge endeavor and I have already spent thousands of hours just trying to get the word out there. This book is not about my children but about all of our children. I spent 2 years with my son who cried all the time. I suffered from sleep deprivation and social seclusion.

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I know that I am not the only one out there. I want to help them by providing a book that looks at sensory integration issues and how the clothing may be hurting your child, like it did my son, or how some children on the spectrum need less sleep and how melatonin is a viable option (I of course recommend talking to your doctor before using any supplements).

Those are just two pieces of advice that I have, can you imagine what I’ve come across reading these questionnaires? There is so much information out there, and it is time we collaborate. Get the word out! If you have a child on the spectrum I look forward to working with you, but don’t forget to tell everyone you know to come and help too! This is one volunteer project that will help for many years to come!

Go Here To Learn More About Autism

Thank you!

K. E. Richards
KeRichards@themanyfacesofautism.com
www.TheManyFacesOfAutism.com

I too plan to visit your site and complete the questionnaire. Thanks for doing this.
My son was diagnosed with Aspergers several years ago & I had such a hard hard time finding books to help me understand it.
Believe it or not I found an auto bio that helped me most of all. The title was “LOOK ME IN THE EYE”. It helped me understand so much of the things my son dealt with every single day.

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Is it safe to give my autistic 2 year old melatonin?

My baby girl is 2 years old and she is also on the autism spectrum. Her sleep habits are all screwed up. She does not sleep very well. She sometimes goes to bed for the "night" at 12:00 p.m. She will wake up around 9 or 10 at night ready to begin her day. Everybody else in the house is in or ready for bed. I have tried to keep her up during the day, give her a bed time routine, limit her tv and activities at night, I have even tried warm milk to help her fall asleep. Nothing works. She is in a autism program to help her but she keeps missing classes because she falls asleep right before class starts or while she is in class. I am scared they are going to throw her out of the program for too many missed days. She needs this program. She keeps everyone in the house up at night. I am at wits end with this. She is putting a huge strain on my marriage and family. I love my baby she is my world. I just don’t know what to do. I have heard melatonin can be a good help for a child with autism. I am not so sure. I have read some positive reviews but have not read any actual stories on its use. If it is good for her and if so how much? When to give it to her? If anyone has any POSITIVE suggestions, I would really appreciate them.

Would you like your daughter to sleep through the night tomorrow? I have the secret.

Cut milk and and milk by-products out of her life–whey, lactate, etc. Try it for 24 hours. Melatonin is okay, but really your daughter needs her GI problems treated.

I have a son "on the spectrum", who will be completely recovered in the next year. Do some research–it’s reality, I promise.

http://www.talkaboutcuringautism.org/index.htm

http://www.generationrescue.org/

http://www.autism.com/ari/

http://www.ageofautism.com/

http://www.recoveredfromautism.com/ourstory.htm

http://www.thecitizen.com/~citizen0/node/30144

And some recovery videos:

http://www.leesilsby.com/movie.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNjdxD844GQ

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