Clonidine, Thanks for the Sleep
At first the idea of “drugging” my child really scared me especially when cases like the one Dateline covered Monday Night.
Clonidine is a drug typically used to treat hypertension in adults but it has been found to effectively treat ADHD, tourettes, and even sleep disorders in children. Children with Fragile X Syndrome have been successfully treated with Clonidine and with Clonidine and CNS stimulants like Methylphenidate, or Ritalin. Because medication can be important in the treatment of behavior disorders we made the best decision we could…but it was hard.
When I realized that we had no other choice because of the amount of sleep he was getting and his severe aggression I was conflicted. Should I give my son a medication that will help him and that he needs or should I keep him drug free?
We chose to use Clonidine to help Little Pickel sleep. The first night he used it was the first night in over a year that we and more importantly, HE, had a full night’s sleep.
But why would we even consider medication in the first place? Since adopting AJ he had not gotten a full nights sleep…and it had been almost 1 and a half years. It took him almost 3 hours to fall asleep and then he would have horrific night terrors that sometimes lasted up to an hour. Of course, he was not awake, but it meant that he was not passing over in to deep sleep properly, thus not getting good REM sleep. Then, after his night terrors, he would wake 10-12 times a night sometimes for only a second to roll over, sometimes because of a wet diaper, and sometimes for hours.
We tried Benedryl on really tough nights and he would sleep for almost exactly 4 hours. We also used Melatonin but that effect had started to wear off and we could not increase the dosage because he would get insomnia at 2 in the morning. The next day he would then nap in the afternoon for two to three hours and I would as well…getting much needed sleep.
When we talked to his new pediatrician about his sleep issues and she noticed his aggression (due to both sleep deprivation and copper toxicity) she instantly thought of Clonidine. However, she did not want to prescribe it until he adjusted to his new school and home. When we saw her 2 months later and we were still in the same boat…she prescribed it.
Clonidine is in a group of medicines called alpha-agonists. By regulating brain activity, it has a calming effect in children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It can also be used for other conditions, such as tics, aggression, or sleep problems.
I will cover more tomorrow on the dangers of over-medication of children.
October 3rd, 2007 at 9:53 pm
[...] of Cold Medications by Marcie After Sunday evening’s Dateline special on Clonidine use and Bi-polar disorder I started to see other information about [...]
October 5th, 2007 at 5:52 am
Poor you; poor him. Sleep is so important.
I’m sure you’re not comfortable with using medication … but look at it this way. Sleep deprivation is a well known torture technique, resulting in confusion and mental instability. No sleep isn’t good for him or you, and you matter here too.
If you don’t get enough sleep because he isn’t, that is bound to be affecting you and your ability to care for him, so make sure you take care of yourself too, for both your sakes.
Does your paediatrician expect this to be a short-term medication need?
November 22nd, 2007 at 7:51 am
[...] is overtired. A night terror is not a nightmare. A night terror happens in the first phases of sleep; between stages three and four, an hour to two hours after falling asleep. (We used to be able to [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I do not have autism, but I had night terrors when I was very young. I also have celiac (gluten intolerance). Doctors always told my mom that there was no reason that sugar would contribute to night terrors, but through trial and error, she determined that I would not have night terrors if I did not have any sugar after 2pm.
She also determined that I could not tolerate corn even though corn is gluten-free. It is more difficult to avoid corn syrup than to avoid gluten most of the time, but I get very sick if I have any corn.
I don’t remember the night terrors at all, but I thought I would share it in case it would be of any help for you. I have a lot of sympathy for parents with sick children in general and especially for children sick with illnesses that are so misunderstood. I’m glad that you and your son were able to get some rest.
November 26th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Erica,
As soon as we started modifying his diet he improved. Now that he is off corn and sugar we see the biggest response. Ironic, huh?
April 17th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
[...] my son is on Clonidine for sleep, Risperdal for aggression and behavior, and miralax for chronic constipation. [...]
May 15th, 2009 at 9:19 am
I just started my son on clonidine about 4 weeks ago. I cannot even begin to tell you the difference it has made in our lives. My son does not get sleepy from it, but it takes him down a notch. He is now focusing in school, sitting and even has been using the potty. He is only 4 so he only gets .2 2x/day. It has made a world of difference in him though. Thank you for posting this.