Brain Injury Support Group
Traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. Outcome can be anything from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. A coma can also affect a child's brain.
My son is almost 3 and he sustained his TBI in march and i know at first it's common to have sleep issues but just recently chase has been getting up at like 2 or 3 in the morning ready to play and start his day i discussed this with his docter because he is on a low dose of adderal but his docter assured me that by that time his adderal is out of his system. He put him on a sleeping pill but i was wondering if it could be something delayed from his TBI or if anyone else has issues with this.
Peace and Love,
Allison
I was never an early riser before my TBI. I could get up, but it wasn't easy and I woke to an alarm every morning if I needed to get up.
It started after I came home from the hospital and...I'm 2 years post and it hasn't gotten any better. I kid the doctors I somehow knocked my internal clock off and they don't know how to fix it.
Does he sleep through the night? That is one of the most asked questions the doctors ask me. I do...I've tried staying up later, but it doesn't matter what time I go to bed...I'm awake between 2 and 3 am every single morning and yes, I long to sleep in once in awhile. I take nothing because I do sleep well. I can sleep up to 9 hours, but...I have to go to bed early...because, well my internal alarm goes off and wakes me. I can lay there, but I cannot go back to sleep.
I work with it as best I can. I go to bed so I know I get at least 7 hours...usually 8 because I last better throughout the day that way. When I was trying staying up later...I ran out of steam very fast.
It is only fair to tell you that I also struggle with fatigue all day long. If I get up and get moving...it's not as intense, but still there all day every day. If I sit down...at any point I could go to sleep. I fight it and they tell me I'm wrong to do that, but...how else am I going to work or get anything done?
Hope this helps. Your son could grow out of it, younger kids seem to have a better recovery in most cases than adults. Their brains are still developing and learining. I certainly hope that's the case for yours.
Tom B. aka Ihman
But seriously, disrupted sleep patterns is normal for TBI. Again, I am not a doctor but I would honestly say that the disruption in sleep does have to do with the TBI more so than the meds. (remember I did work wth lots of kids on those meds)
I know it must be super hard for you especially if you are waking up with him, but these is a chance he will grow out of this. Try to get into a pattern when he wakes up super early.......rub his belly or back, do something soothing and almost hypnotic to get him back to sleep some more.
For me, i find if I rub/pet something soft repetitvely it puts me in a zone and i can sometimes fall back asleep.
Hope this helps some.
I have heard that touching something soft can be very soothing and ralaxing, and both of my counselors have reccomended it for me as well.....I think you may have a great idea thatr may help this child....
Tom B. aka Ihman