Sleeping medicine for teens?

Post Reply New Topic

My 14 year old son is taking Buspar (anti-anxiety) and it was working to help him settle down at night to sleep. Lately he says that he is having a lot of trouble sleeping. He is waking up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. He has always had difficulty sleeping and we have used Meletonin in the past. He is demanding that I take him to the doctor to get sleep medicine, like Lunesta. Has anyone tried this with their AS teen? Does anyone know of any research that show that this is safe for teens?

I used to use 5HTP for help getting to sleep
(and sleeping through the night, and not 'dragging ass' in the morning)

I don't use it now, but i think it helped. It's a herbal supplement that you can buy over the counter at the chemist/health store.

Wikipedia: 5HTP
Google: 5HTP
5HTP.COM

(5HTP = 5-Hydroxytryptophan)
...I just read that it may also help with depression/mood.

Melatonin does wonders for me. One pill, and I'm out cold within 30 minutes. Melatonin is a hormone that your body produces to make you fall asleep, and the pill is a synthetic version of it. It's completely natural, so it's safe for anyone who can take adult medicines. Could be worth trying for your teen.

haven't tried lunesta....son takes seroquel...hubby takes remeron....after all the problems we've had with lack of sleep causing chaotic, crazy behavior, i urge you to take your son seriously about getting him to sleep better.................i assume you've tried calming routines before bedtime & reducing his caffeine intake.....hubby's doc wouldn't put him on any sleep meds until hubby had gone through a sleep disorder test at the local hospital.

The problem isn't getting to sleep; the Buspar helps with that. He has also tried adding Melatonin, but he can't stay asleep. He wakes up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep.

He did try the 5HTP last night and he slept through the night. I tried it too and ended up awake all night... Go figure??? I'm hoping that it is the answer for him. He has been extremely moody and mean since he hasn't been sleeping, but then again it could just be hormones. He's 14!

Thanks for the advice. I'd still love to hear more ideas, in case the 5HTP doesn't end up being the answer.

I'll look up Seroquel and Remeron to see what they are.

seroquel and remeron are anti-anxiety meds, i think....my aspies troubles with sleep revolve around not being able to sleep because of anxious, repetitive worry. hubby still wakes up in the middle of the night periodically...i wish there was something that worked universally, but that's not the way things are. you could always check into a sleep study. it would help rule out other reasons for waking up in the middle of the night. hubby's sleep study ruled out : Sleep Apnea, and Restless Leg Syndrome.