CJ

by CJ
(Seattle)

I have a 3 1/2 yr. old daughter that does not sleep through the night, never has, she stopped napping about 6-8 months ago, very rarely will she take a nap. Sleep has been the biggest issue. She is visibly tired throughout the day. I took her to her doctor, who referred us to a sleep specialist, who referred us to a clinic on sensory processing. We went to this "clinic" which was me talking to the therapist while my daughter played. I filled out a sensory profile and received the "scores" a couple days ago.




I had to look up most of the terms on the internet!! It basically said my daughter was at risk for vestibular processing, and we are encouraged to meet w/an OT, as well as a mental health provider. I will pursue this route, I think first w/the OT, and see how that goes.

I just found this webpage and went through this checklist, and based on this, my daughter only has a few things.

I'm just wondering if anyone has dealt w/this w/a sleep deprived child? I'm trying to find a solution to get her to sleep all night, in hopes of that helping her throughout the day. She has moments where she can't sit still and doesn't listen, but she's only 3 1/2!! So I wonder how much is age appropriate, how much is sleep related, and how much is this sensory stuff?? I will talk more to the doctors, just wanted some opinions.

It was just heart breaking to read the report the doctor sent, made it sound like she was severely mentally challenged and in seeing her everyday I would never have thought that. I have a 6 year old son who is very different, in that he was a little easier in some areas... could write his name and the alphabet by the time he was 3, was reading when he was 5...but he also had alot more 1 on 1 time for 2 1/2 years before my daughter came along.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone can relate to this. Thank you.



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Feb 24, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		sleep
by: Anonymous

Hi, my daughter is 3 and even though she is not diagnosed with any condition (we are seeing signs of spd) she has somethings that help her calm her down. She loves to rub a silky blanket. She had a baby blanket that had a silky and soft bumpy side on it, however as she got bigger she couldn't be covered by it anymore. My mom made her a bigger blanket and we cover her up with it in bed as well as her other covers. She loves to rub the silky side, which I think helps her go to sleep. Have you tried a weighted blanket? I wouldn't say the blanket my mom made is heavy, but the material made is kind of heavy which I think helps out alot. If you have any questions about it, feel free to ask I will definitely tell you more about it.
Dec 12, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Reply to post on Dec. 12
by: CJ

Thank you for your comments. That is something else to look into also. I did take her to a behavioral therapist for 3 weeks, who basically said she was normal. I was supposed to take her to an O.T. for Sensory Processing disorders, but haven't done that yet, nothing I find on the internet about SPD fits her, she doesn't fall too much into any category. And her sleep is improving slowly, slowly, slowly! I appreciate your comments, thank you.
Dec 12, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sleep problem
by: Anonymous

My daughter who is now 13 years old also do not sleep much and does not nap. It was worrying and after seeing many doctors, it was diagnosed that she has severe sinus problem. She is unable to sleep well as her nose/breathing was giving her problem when she is sleeping which she was not able to express when she was younger. This might not be your daughter's case but no harm checking this up.

Light massage before sleeping time also helps her to feel secure and warm and to help her body prepares for sleep.

Hopes that your daughter's condition will improved and be resolved. God bless you!
Sep 02, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you
by: Anonymous

Thank you for your comments, I will look into this.
Aug 29, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Maybe a food allergy?
by: Anonymous

Your daughter's symptoms are similar to my son's. He is 3 & 1/2. He is currently receiving speech therapy, OT, in addition to gymnastics to help with sensory difficulties and oral motor delays. He was diagnosed with severe reflux and takes 3 medications daily to treat it. While he did not test positive for Celiac's Disease, I realized that he is intolerant to gluten. At 18 months, He was irritable, woke up several times every night, and had eczema on his face and rear. After eliminating gluten from his diet, the eczema cleared up completely, and he began sleeping through the night. Now I can usually tell when he has eaten wheat or gluten because the symptoms return. I cannot assume that your daughter has the same thing, but it could not hurt to do sone research. I do not want to give the impression that eliminating gluten was some kind of miracle cure, but in my son's case, it helped. Food allergies and sensitivities can sometimes be overlooked because so much focus is placed on the behaviors. Good luck with your daughter.

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