Gosh...I am so sorry about your son's injury.

That would be so hard...both as a Mother and also w/his age he wasn't able to communicate about his injury.

A lot of us have sleep problems post-TBI.

Yeah, one can get acclimated to certain meds. I can't tell which type of Doc you were referring to - a Physiatrist or a Psychiatrist? 2 very different professionals.

Has the Neurologist referred you to someone for this?

Bless your heart!

I have been treated for sleep by a psychiatrist. Let me just say NO, NO, NO. Please see a Neurologist, a pediatric one. Brain injury is not a mental illness.

Best wishes, and please keep us informed on how everything turns out.

My heart goes out to you. I am a an sdult who grew up after being sleep deprived after those early years, being thru-13. I can tell you that lack of sleep during the developing years will cripple a child as you know. But I would suggest strongly that you make absolute positive sure only to involve a neurologist OR PEDIATRICIAN.and not give heavy drugs to a toddler, without talking to a PEDIATRICIAN first. You dont know what the consequences, or the side effects from the drugs or damage permanently that they could cause in someone that young. If there is a problem later you will always wonder and or blame yourself.

Hi, As everyone has said, sleep can be a problem with tbi. I had brain surgery years ago, and suddenly couldn't sleep. I remember having the surgery in Sept, and then staying up to all hours and managed to knit an afghan for Every member of my family for Christmas! When I went back to Boston in Dec and told the neurosurgeon, he did a test that showed he somehow had "nicked" the portion of the brain that regulates sleep. He said it would eventually heal, but in the meanwhile I was on different sleep meds. Yes, you do get used to sleep medicines after a while.
About 4 years ago I started to sleep again. I'm on a very regimented sleep schedule; I go to bed at 11:00 , whether sleepy or not , and get up at 6:45 .

I have a question- is it possible that your son has a touch of A.DD? I did for a few years and that was part of the not sleeping. (My psychiatrist said it's not uncommon for that to happen). I now take ritalin for legitimate brain function (I"d be staring out the window all day if I didn't take it) , but would never take it after 4PM.
I"m not saying if he has a bit of it he should be on ADD meds. I"m just mentioning that it was one of the reasons I wasn't sleeping. I would be bodily tired, but my brain wouldn't shut off.
I assume you have a bed routine? ( for my girls , it was supper, dad reading to them for an hour , then bed at 6:30 - we kept that schedule until the youngest was in first grade).

I hope this is a phase ( a long one ) that can be remedied.He does need his sleep, and so do you .

If I may clarify. I have TBI now but back then I DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING THAT WAS CAUSING ME NOT TO SLEEP BUT BAD PARENTING. If I had brain damage in my early years it was from lack of sleep and other things. Holly, this child is too ypoung to be put on Ritalin.

Thanks so much everyone and yes his neurologist is a pediatric one and he does actually have some hyper activity issues from the brain injury he didn't have an issue before hand and it is his neuologist that wants him to see the psychiatrist she recommended one from U OF M but I worry about all the medicine and I know sleep is important and when he does sleep he does sooo much better . When he doesn't he's moody emotional and angry and I know I would like to sleep at night too I'm a single mother of two chase has a 2 year old brother who still sleeps in my room because chase gets up too much to share a room and I should mention he is on a medicine called kapvay it helps him during the day with his focus and hyper activity. I was hoping maybe he sleep and hyper activity maybe be could learn to handle as he got older or maybe it gets better in time

Oh Anita, you misunderstood! I was never advocating Ritalin. I wouldn't suggest anyone go on a medicine. I was asking about what my pscy told me- that it's not uncommon for a tbi-er to have ADD. I said I'M on ritalin - I never meant that Chase go on it. His mom is too wise to do anything without doctor's permission.

Cip, I assume you know that i was talking about myself, and not what I thought was wrong with Chase. I wasn't suggesting you "do what I do" . Medicines can be a hot button topic here, and perhaps misunderstood at times.

Cip, You've mentioned about going to a psychiatrist with Chase. I started going to one years after my tbi, when my neurologist thought the psyc would have better knowledge of what medicine(s) I needed. He did all he could, but knew to forward me to someone he thought could help more.

I"ve been seeing Niamh ( my Irish psyc. - her name is pronounced 'Neve" ) for about 4 years now , and call her my "drug czar" . She doesn't care about "analyzing" my life ( other than to ask how my daughters are doing ) - she's solely interested in how my meds are working , and whether anything needs to be tweaked, or if I want to change anything. There's no stigma to seeing her.

I wish the best for you and your children. The whole family is affected by brain injury. Please let us know how things go. - H

My son is an adult TBI sufferer. He was recently sick with a terrible virus and ever since then has had trouble sleeping. He was doing fine before on most nights. I am about to pull my hair out too as if his breathing even changes I am up and down the hall to make sure he's okay. I've tried benadryl, a prescribed muscle relaxer and nothing seems to work from about midnight to 3 am.....there has to be an answer cjp! Hopefully there will be a solution that the team of physicians who see your son can come up with.. I'm asking my son's doctor tomorrow plus putting him back on a very strict schedule like we had before he got sick!

I seem to be the opposite. My brain gets very tired, and bedtime is usually 9.30 if i can hold out that long. Sleep through phone ringing etc, but awake at dawn and thats it. Sometimes think I have the sleep pattern of a rooster my hubby says.

But much prefer this to your problem, it must be exhausting.

I see BOTH a neurologist and psychiatrist

I can't sleep with meds. I'm not even lying, I cannot sleep AT ALL. I had this problem since my TBI years and years ago, and it hasn't gone away. My psychiatrist (who understands I have a brain injury AND a mood disorder that's related to that) prescribed me Seroquel and I sleep really well now. It also treats my mood problems, so it's a nice bonus to sleep well AND feel good! Although, at the age of 5, I don't think he would be put on Seroquel - it's a potent medication in all regards.

Also, I want to point out something extremely important. TBI's can CAUSE mental health problems. Which is why, I believe, a psychiatrist should at least be on board. If your son is being put on psychiatric meds, it's worth at LEAST a consult with a psychiatrist - or, even better, a neuro-psychiatrist. If the psychiatrist is informed there is a history of TBI and s/he knows that a neurologist (and whatever other practitioners) will be involved AND is okay with it (and is not a pompous idiot) then it's perfectly fine to see them.

Finally, I really dislike when people bash medications. I would not be typing this without them. It's a pain in the butt to ride the medication rollercoaster but when the right combination comes together, people actually learn to live and manage the everyday ins and outs. Would I rather be sane and ALIVE and on meds or, ultimately, have died of suicide because I was off medication? Hmm. The choice is not that hard.

BeccBecc, get your view. Took so many trials of tablets to help hubbys ptsd which was very bad, till after months of struggle for him they hit on the right combination for his brain they said. They have side effects he would rather not have, but on them for life. And I have told him often, if he ever stops taking them his life may not be as long as he thought, cause I just couldnt go through it again with him on nothing.

I know it's very hard to find medicines for chase because he is so young and were just about tried everything that's available to him because of his age . His neurologist hooked us up with a phycrastrist At the university of michigan and were just waiting to be fitted In with an appointment time ill put an update when able