sleep problems 9 year old son.

notsolucky_2

Hi just need some advice please we have a 9 year old son who is really struggling at the monent to sleep through the night.We have never really had a problem with him sleeping before.It all started with a few bad dreams and now he seems to wake up most nights and comes into us saying he feels scared and cant sleep, for the last 3 nights my husband has got into his bed and hes slept with me but we dont want to encourage this! We have asked about school and tried to reasure him that he is safe and nothing will harm him but he really seems to be a different child at night time he seems very anxious and there has been alot of tears(not at all like him).We dont really now what to do next? Anyone had the same sort of problem?

fsdss

how about putting a lavender air freshner in his room along with some low mood lighting?

The_Teaahloic

Has he been watching any thing on T.V. before going to bed that might have upset him? Kids are funny sometimes, really silly things can upset them. Or at least we think they are silly but to them it can be something auful. Even something like Eastenders (Jay being in a chidrens home because he has no parents.)
Why don't you try taking him out and getting some exercise like playing football or a good long walk. (wear him out)
Is he warm enough? Does he loose his covers in the night and then can't get back to sleep. Maybe a nice milky drink before bedtime.
Good luck hope you sort him out.

notsolucky_2

thanks for your replies took him fishing yesterday afternoon so lots of freshair he went to bed at 9.30 ish and was wide awake at midnight! I am hoping it is just a phase but it is quite worrying,he says perhaps he ought to go to the doctors? I wondered if there was any herbal stuff for there age group seem to remeber my other son having calms when he was having trouble sleeping but then he was alot older probably about 14.

notsolucky_2

fsdss wrote: »

how about putting a lavender air freshner in his room along with some low mood lighting?

was thinking about getting him a new night light ,at the moment he has a desk lamp,but we do keep the landing light on and his door open.

The_Teaahloic

You can buy "Bach Flower remedies" Rescue remedy spray , I am sure they also do a night-time one to help you sleep. I know the Rescue remedy spray is o.k. for children even young ones . You can buy it in Boots.

sealady

My son who is also 9 is going through a similar thing. Some nights he wakes up screaming and walking around. Luckily we can lead him back to his bed no problem and he normally goes straight back to sleep. He also sleep walks quite often and does not remember anything in the morning. I've spoken to a couple of friends with boys the same age and their boys do the say thing. Apparently it's very common in this age of boys. I will try some of the suggestions for the lavender air freshener.

moggylover

Also, you could try hanging up a dream catcher in his bedroom and explaining to him that they catch all the bad dreams and that he will not have them anymore. I know it sounds daft - but it worked for my son some years ago, never had a bad dream since, and a much older neighbour found one worked for him when he was having a bad time.

Don't question why it works - they are inexpensive, rather pretty (:o ) and can do no harm:o .

Good luck, but if he remains very tearful I think I would wonder more about some bullying or something going on.

poe.tuesday

is he actually awake?

my son has night terrors and it seems like he is awake, he walks about the house and his eyes are open and the whole time he is asleep - he screams some times, talks rubbish the next, is terrified and crying on other occassions - when it first starting happening it seemed like he was awake but he wasn't

if you think that he is possibly having night terrors then there are ways of dealing with it - let me know as we have managed to get it sort of sorted - well, we know how to settle him which is probably the best we can expect - our son has no recolection of what happened in the morning