BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Autism Spectrum Disorders Waking up very early, new sleep pattern

Prior to the daylight savings time change Matthew would wake up around 5 am, but I knew he did this prior years, but maybe it was only when the clocks are changed in spring.

So he is still waking up at 4 or 5 each morning, bouncing off the walls skipping around the house. I get up at 5:30-5:45 and will get up when he gets up to change his diaper and clothes and turn on a light in computer room for him. The bathroom, kitchen and living room have nightlights and I have the TV set to turn on early, but usually to news since that is what I watch before going to bed.

This morning it was 3:10 on the clock when he got out of bed and came back for a little while around 4 but that was it.

He is on Geodon but I think we need another med in addition to it since his behavior is worse with hitting and scratching. I will have to discuss with the Developmental Pediatrician who prescribes the Geodon.

He gets half the capsule in his soymilk in the morning and the other half at about 5 pm. At one point we upped this to a whole capsule in am and half at pm, but that seemed backwards since he got so sleepy that one time and could not go to school. So in the AM I put half and a little dash more and then about a full capsule for the night time bottle.

He is so tired at 6 pm each night and is asleep by 6:45 - 7 pm and then up at 3-5. One day I forgot to put extra in the bottle that AM and he did not go to sleep as usual and was not tired. So I got another capsule and put some inside a bottle and he went to sleep at 8:30 that night and still up at 5.

I am so tired in the morning because I take a benadryl Rx to knock me out so I dont scratch due to excema and wear gloves on my hands with the ointment underneath.

I usually take a pill about 9 and now thinking I need to take one at 7 or 8 so I can sleep and get up at 3, 4 or 5 when he does. I was asleep on the couch last nite at 9:30 and then got up to watch news and take a pill.

Anyone have their kid on the spectrum on meds that helps them sleep through the night. I still have a bottle of the liquid risperdal, but we had changed to Geodon, and never used it, and almost tempted to try it again, but Matthew had many of the side effects from that with twitching and leg jerking.

Anyone ever stop Risperdal and then go back to it years later and if so, did it work better and how long before the side effects showed up again, or not at all?

The side effects started after six months of use and increasing the dosage, so we dropped the dosage, but still and then for a little bit when started Geodon.

Matthew is nine, non verbal and weighs 65 pounds.

I forgot to mention that his eating habits have changed drastically since school started also. The Dietitian from his feeding clinic came last week to observe and he would not eat the chicken nuggets and did have one sip from a cup of soymilk.

He did great at summer camp and I tell those that ask the reason is because the summer camp staff were trained and knowledgeable in autism, the aide I have been trying to change since March knows squat about autism and although she is no longer his aide on paper they need to wait for another one to interview, or something like that - all internal issues within the district.

I am going Monday to tour a special ed center, although not sure this is the answer, but maybe for half a year until I find something else.

For those that have their child on geodon, what other meds are they taking, if any?

Bonnie, we did go from Risperdal to Geodon and back to Risperdal (Michael had major heart palpitations w/ the Geodon). But it wasn't years between.

He did go thru a period of barely sleeping; like 3-4 hrs a night, that's when his Dr. tried to switch him to the Geodon, because we thought maybe he had just gotten to "used" to the Risperdal (or I should say his body had). We just wound up playing with his medication dosages for a few weeks and eventually hit on the right one.

Also, for you, instead of taking the oral Benadryl, have you checked with your dermatologist about some of these new topical creams? Or even using a topical Benadryl or Aveeno. That way you wouldn't be so fuzzy.

Of course; single mom + 2 AS boys (one of whom's not sleeping) = exhausted mom anyway, so it may not be the Benadryl as much as you think it is. Sometimes I wish we didn't live on opposite sides of the country! <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Thanks Michelle for the feedback. I heard about using clonidine and zyprexa from other parents on the Autism Meds yahoo group.

I looked them up in my pill book and will ask at next weeks appt if I can see the Dev Ped and give her an update.

I want to change meds when he is on holiday break either Thanksgiving or Christmas so I can monitor changes and eating habits and bowel movements.

My kids both take risperdal...they take it around dinner, fall asleep fairly early & wake up early. Maybe try giving it to him LATER, so he will sleep a little bit later? You need respite big time, I am tired alot myself, the diabetes in my younger son is more scary then both of them being PDD-NOS. Happy Thanksgiving!