Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

I don't know what to do anymore. I have tried everything. I keep posting about this bc it's only gone from bad to worse. He perfectly fine and happy during the day. Has some anxiety but he gets ot and speech and has been doing great in school. I've been doing the same night routine we've always done. Shower, relax on our bed for a bit, books then bed. He used to have sleeping issues bad from about 2.5 till almost 4. He got better. He used to come in our room at night. From almost 5 up until a month ago he was great (a year with no sleep issues) and slept all night. Since December hes a nightmare going to sleep. We're up at 7 AM with a full and busy day. He goes to sleep around 8 or at least supposed to.
I talk about his day, get him settled, we say goodnight to everything then when I close the door something changes. Everything goes out the window. He gets up, walks around his bed, pushes his stuffed animals off, whines and cries. When I go in he doesn't understand why he's doing it and says he can't sleep. I even tried a couple of drops of that sleep stuff people recommended and some calming oil. Nothing worked. He is walking around the house huffing and puffing that he can't sleep. His 3 yr brother passes out fast and no issues ever. I'm at my wits end. Just exhausted.
Believe me I've tried I try breathing exercise, stretching, massage, etc. NO stimulation too

Message edited 2/12/2015 7:47:22 AM.

Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

Not sleeping is awful. I think I posted on your other thread what I do with my DD but I did forget to say that we also rub lotion on her/massage her before bed to help calm her down.

Re: Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

I have heard of melatonin being used before to help kids to sleep, maybe ask your ped about that.

Re: Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

Re: Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

Re: Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

I buy these from amazon. They melt in his mouth.

Re: Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

is it the door being closed? My son always slept with the door closed but for the past year he is scared (even with the nightlight). So we keep the door open now. We also have told him if he cannot sleep he must stay in his bed and just talk to his animals. No getting out.

Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

Sounds a lot like my son, but he is not 5 yet! After reading your post, the thing that concerns me is "He gets up, walks around his bed, pushes his stuffed animals off, whines and cries. When I go in he doesn't understand why he's doing it and says he can't sleep." My son wakes up at 7am also, and I try to get him in bed by 7:30. He def. doesn't fall asleep then, but it settles him. Some things crossed my mind...

Does he watch typical boy tv shows (ex. Spiderman, Star Wars, etc.)before bed? My son would watch this and have nightmares, so if he does watch something before bed, it is Curious George, Mickey, something simple. Maybe remove the stuffed animals and see if that helps. He could be freaked out by the eyes.

Does he play before bed? My DH often comes home 30 min before bedtime starts playing with him. I see that my son has a hard time going to bed after all this action.

Do you think something is going on in school that he can't verbalize to you? I have to be a detective with my son because he gives me pieces of things at school.

My son had some sensory issues and has a difficult time falling asleep if he doesn't have my husband or me next to him with an arm across him. He will fall asleep independently, but it takes him much longer.

Hope this is a short phase!

Re: Repost - Help with 5 yr old sleep!

Thanks everyone for responding. He does have sensory issues and when he's going through a phase or gets obsessed with something it takes a while for him to get out of. By "obsessed" I mean he's in a "time" phase now and needs to know what time it is all the time... When we're leaving, sleeping, showering, pretty much anything. He's also obsessed with art and making things. He always wants to make something. They're not bad obsessions but he gets soooo into it.
He does not watch boy shows with fighting. Never got into it bc I think it's too fast and too much for him to take in. Still loves Peppa Pig and now Miles which isn't a bad show.
He also says sometimes someone will say something mean to him in school but it's not out of the ordinary. Just kids stuff. He's small so he said once his friend called him a baby bc he's smaller than him. That was months ago and he's sti bringing it up. We've talked about it and he's friends with the boy and said he hasn't said anything mean in a while but bc he's sensitive it still bothers him. His teachers say he's doing well in school. He's always happy and very social. He's been at the school for a while too since he was in the self contained class in preschool.
I think the fact that we're going away soon could be effecting him too. We go to Aruba every year but he gets a little anxious before we leave. We try not to talk about it but he knows when and sees swimsuits out. Once we go he's fine and I think the vaca is something he needs too. Rest his head. He's been in school since 3 months. Had IE, special Ed preschool, speech, OT, PT and esy every summer. It's a lot.