ADHD and Sleep
Sleep deprivation meant Kieran would be either very grumpy and difficult throwing spectacular temper tantrums if the slightest thing didn’t suit or he would be completely hyperactive and out of control.
The Problem
The problem started when Kieran began waking up and crying. We didn’t feel able to leave him to get on with it so we would go into him. From here it progressed to him wanting to play for long periods during the night and no matter what we did he seemed totally unable to relax and fall back to sleep.
Sleep deprivation meant Kieran would be either very grumpy and difficult throwing spectacular temper tantrums if the slightest thing didn’t suit or he would be completely hyperactive and out of control – hardly surprising as he had only had around 7 – 8 hours sleep! I was also really tired I found this behaviour very challenging, exhausting and difficult to deal with.
I saw my health visitor about it and she suggested we tried the controlled crying technique, but it was never totally successful. By the time Kieran was 3 the sleep situation was getting worse and his nursery had told me his development was not “age appropriate”.
I decided we needed to see a paediatrician. I described Kieran’s behaviour to the Paediatrician. In her opinion he had ADHD. She prescribed Melatonin supplements to help with his sleeping problems. While I was not entirely happy with him being on the Melatonin I went along with it because I was so desperate for us all to get some sleep. However it didn’t work and we still were having the same problems.
I contacted the Paediatrician again and she told me to increase the dosage of Melatonin and prescribed Ritalin. I was completely at my wits end and needed a sleep solution. I took the prescription and started him on the medication. After a couple of weeks of being on the Ritalin and higher dose of Melatonin, it still wasn’t working, if any thing the nighttime waking had become worse.
At this point I began to question his ADHD diagnoses. If he truly had ADHD then all of this medication he was on would be having some effect surely? I stopped giving him the Ritalin and I started doing some internet research on sleep deprivation and the effects of it and I found quite a lot of evidence which suggests that the symptoms of ADHD are very similar to that of lack of sleep.
I found Millpond Children’s Sleep.
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The Solution
We started a sleep programme with Millpond sleep clinic and Kieran responded immediately to it.
The plan was to use a late sleep phase programme. We were to establish a relaxing bedtime routine with very clear boundaries. The “new rules” were explained to Kieran and he was rewarded if he went to sleep nicely at bedtime and back to sleep nicely in the night.
Part of the programme also involved gradually lowering his Melatonin dosage in order to eventually wean him off.
Over the next couple of weeks he responded well. By the end of the third week he was completely off the Melatonin and sleeping soundly through the night. Seven weeks on, I am delighted to say that all is still going well and he is sleeping right through the night.
Nursery reports that Kieran is a different child. He is now calm and sits and listens and concentrates, his behaviour is so much better and they are very pleased at how well he is doing. When I look back at the situation now I think it’s really scary how he was prescribed a cocktail of drugs, which he didn’t really need at all, the only thing Kieran needed was a good 11-12 hours sleep every night!
“My maternal instinct was right; lack of sleep was causing a lot of Kieran’s behaviour problems and development delay.
I just wish that I had gone to Millpond sooner and not waited so long until things became desperate before we got help. I would recommend Millpond to anyone and cannot praise them enough”.
See what families say about us
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This training day has been very positively received by all members of the health visiting team. Staff feel better equipped to assess and provide advice on interventions that are evidence based to support parents. I strongly recommend that all clinical staff attend this extremely valuable training.”
Carol Adams, Clinical Educator Health Visiting. Lewisham NHS Trust -
Within my role as Infant Feeding Specialist – we have a large volume of mothers worried that their child is not sleeping, often equated to feeding concerns – this workshop has provided me with more in-depth strategies to support families with sleep issues. Lots of interesting research to follow-up and incorporate into my practice.”
D Wilson, Infant Feeding Specialist -
The HSE National Programme ‘Nurture’ engaged Millpond to deliver an extensive number of sleep workshop to registered public health nurses in the Republic of Ireland during 2018/19. Millpond provided an excellent professional service. They were open and willing to engagement and adaptation of the UK sleep programme to local needs. Feedback from the workshop participants was excellent. The Millpond trainers were flexible in developing the programme timetable and workshops were delivered over a wide geographical area in a timely and efficient manner.
Virginia Pye, National Lead for Public Health Nursing, HSE -
The landscape around children’s sleep is increasingly expansive and changing. Millpond’s up-to-date training meets the need to adapt to growing trends in child sleep challengers. Fully comprehensive and nurturing in their approach; encompassing all essential holistic and trending aspects in fully supporting a child’s emotional wellbeing to maximising a child’s sleep potential.
Rozanne Hay, UK Representative & Director of Continuing Education for the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants -
“Our health visiting service will enable us to support children’s sleep using Millpond as accredited and suitable in conjunction with BFI.”
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“An excellent training course with informed and sector-leading practitioners who have a wealth of knowledge and relevant experience.”
A Williams, Early Years Pathfinder Staff Development & Training Officer, Flintshire -
Really great to leave with a sense of a Tool Kit to support the children and families I work with.”
T Harold- School Health Nurse and Community Practice Teacher -
I attended the workshop you did at Oakleigh special school. I wanted to say it was wonderful. I learned lots of new things and was impressed by your extensive knowledge about sleep, especially that it was backed up by research. Thank you.”
T Nicholls -
“As part of Mothercare’s community programme, Mandy hosted two 2 sleep workshops for parents. Parents were tremendously keen to attend and to get the best advice about good sleep practices for both babies and young children. Mandy’s sessions met the parent’s needs, resulting in parents feeling more confident and empowered afterwards.
Mothercare's Parenting Consultant, Liz Day
I have no hesitation in recommending Mandy to host a workshop on children’s sleep whether to parents or professionals.
It’s thought provoking, interesting and contains good practical advice that works, so making sleep times easier and less stressful for both the child and the parent.” -
I worked for 15 years making science and medical documentaries for BBC television. In 2011 I created my own digital company; Essential Parent (EP) to support new parents.
Diana Hill, Essential Parent
EP works with the NHS, maternity hospitals, children’s centers and local authorities around the UK.
We chose Mandy Gurney as our sleep expert from many other possible candidates, since she was the only one who combined enormous authority, experience and knowledge, along with common sense and warmth. It’s a very rare combination of qualities and one which has served our parents, midwives and health visitors really well.
We’re enormously proud to be working with her – and we know just how lucky we are!” -
I felt this course was really child-centered which is very good to see in something that could easily become behaviour focused.
Amanda Kendrick, Therapist, Western Bay Adoption Service -
Excellent workshop. Delivered by trainers who a passionate and very, very knowledgeable. Very easy to listen to with relevant content on PowerPoint and handouts.
Faye Jeffs, Family Support Practitoner -
I attended the Understanding Babies Communication and Sleep Workshop today.
Having attended past training and finding the evidence-based techniques effective and helpful with clients I work with, I was interested in gaining more information around supporting the younger baby.
Jade Atkins, Perinatal specialist Nursery Nurse -
I have attended a Millpond course before. I found this workshop, Understanding Babies Communication and Sleep to be an excellent, well-informed research-based tool which I can use in my role to support mothers to understand their babies sleep needs using kind, gentle and responsive methods.
George Sibthorp, Specialist Perinatal Nursery Nurse Health and Well Being Ambassador -
I have attended training from yourselves before and really wanted to ensure the Nursery Nurse team with whom I now manage have the same tool belt of vital knowledge and skills when supporting Mum’s and families on the MBU to transition into parenthood.
Amy Daddow, Lead Nursery Nurse Mother and Baby Unit -
“Thank you both for delivering the fantastic sleep workshop. I now feel more confident and motivated to support families that are struggling with sleep issues.
I will use my knowledge to support families at home struggling with sleep. I can already think of 2 families that I think will be keen to help.”
Amy Sullivan Southern Trust Northen Ireland -
“I deliver the Incredible Years Speech and Language Delay program to parents of children with Autism. Parents shared during the session that their children often don’t go to bed until late in the evening and they are struggling with their bedtime routine, I registered for the training to gain more knowledge and information with the view to offer additional support to families.
The training exceeded my expectations.
The presenters made the session very interactive. Provided great insight to the topic and the passion to offer support to other professionals and families who require support with sleep difficulties was evident. Both ladies were amazing. What I liked about today’s session was that there were real-life examples provided and discussed.”
Bernadetta Viana Southern Trust Northen Ireland -
“There was a huge amount of information but the trainers were amazing, never had training with people so passionate and knowledgeable and they don’t read from the slides they just talk with so much information being relayed.
I enjoyed all elements of the course both as a mother to 5 and as a student who wants to help others, there was so much information and I feel really enthused to learn more and provide parents with this information, my only regret was I didn’t know this when my twins were younger! (could have saved myself 3 years of sleep deprivation!) “
Need sleep? …call us today direct on: 020 8444 0040
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