Why I've Chosen To Medicate My Daughter
Last week, I took Josie to the doctor in search of a solution; a solution to her sleep issues. Basically since birth, Josie has woken up 4-10+ times per night and it has always been difficult to get her back to sleep. Since about January, the trend has continued but she has started screaming at the top of her lungs upon wakening. I've tried almost every method of sleep training out there, including the "cry it out" method, which I used to be severely against. Nothing worked, and as of last week she was still waking every few hours, screaming and crying and neither of us were getting any sleep.
So, for the second time, I brought this to the attention of her pediatrician. The first time I voiced my concerns, her doctor pushed "cry it out", and that's when I finally gave it a try. Josie was twelve months old. Now, she is eighteen months old and obviously his previous advice hasn't worked. I told him this, and also told him that during the day she is essentially awful. I hate to use that word to describe my daughter's mood and behavior, but there is no other word to use. During waking hours, Josie is miserable. She cries and screams constantly, can't be appeased, can't be redirected, and has no interest in the toys or shows that she used to love. I told him that her quality of life has essentially been crap, and that most of the time, she is unhappy and that she stays that way all day.
He listened to me, and was genuinely concerned that Josie wasn't having the quality of life that she deserves. He agreed that something is definitely up with her sleep. He suggested that due to the amount of times she wakes up during the night (the first time usually being thirty minutes after going down) and due to the hour that she wakes up the next morning (between six and seven) that she may very well have a sleep disorder. He explained that this disorder basically means that Josie's brain has not been able to develop a sleep pattern on it's own, which is why she can't stay asleep.
He then gave me a solution: medication. For three months, Josie would take 3mg of melatonin at the same time every night. The melatonin would help her brain naturally develop a sleep cycle. But, it would take two to three months to work. In the meantime, and for the short term, Josie would also take a sleep medication called Clonidine. She would take half of a .1mg tablet every night at the same time, and results would be expected to be seen immediately. We would then discontinue the Clonodine after three months, when the melatonin would start doing its job. She won't need the melatonin forever, either. She will be slowly weaned off of it as her brain develops its own sleep cycle.
Both medications are temporary, and they are the solution to Josephine's sleep issues; her sleep disorder.
I've explained all of the above to several people, several mommy groups on Facebook, and several family members. Somehow, they seem to miss all of that and only get "I am giving Josie medication to sleep" out of all of that. So, most of the feedback I've received has been negative.
How could you medicate her so young?
It's normal for toddlers to wake up often.
You should have a sleep study done before you medicate her!
That is just a sample of the feedback I've received. Some of the mommies in my mommy groups on Facebook even got a little nasty and suggested that I'm taking the easy way out, or that I only care about how much sleep I am getting. Not true. I have tried all the other methods; sleep training, bedtime routines, nightly baths, cosleeping; to no avail. Medication for me was a last resort, and, well, we are there!
I am absolutely not against medicating my daughter for her sleep issues. If the medication allows her to get the sleep she needs to function and live as a happy, developing toddler, great! If the medication is temporary, great!
Why am I all for medicating Josie? Because I know the positive effects that medication can have on poor sleep patterns. I have been on insomnia medication since I was 17, and I know first hand what it feels like to have to function during the day on little to no sleep the night before, or any night for that matter.
When Josie doesn't sleep well, she is grumpy, disagreeable, unhappy, and unable to be pleased. And I understand that because I also have a sleep disorder. That is why I am so OK with giving her this medication for the next three months.
I am able to empathize with Josie. Nobody else is able to do that, because they are not with her all day every day. They don't see her behavior and her mood after a night of being up every two hours screaming and then waking up at 6am. And of course, when Josie is around other people, she puts on a smile and plays well. This is because she is distracted from how tired she is. But unfortunately, we can't always be a guest in someone else's house. I can't always provide the type of distraction she needs.
So far, I've given Josie one dose of the Clonidine. That night, she slept the entire night, slept until 8am, woke up happy, and remained happy all day. I tried to give it to her the second night, but because I have to crush it and put it in applesauce, her ingesting it depends on whether or not she is in the mood for her applesauce.
I'm going to try again tonight and see what kind of daughter I have overnight and tomorrow. I guarantee I will have a sleeping baby tonight, and a rested little girl tomorrow.
This medication is not only going to allow Josie to develop a natural sleep pattern, it is going to give us both the amount of sleep we need to function, and the amount of sleep that we deserve.
The negative comments are honestly going in one ear and out the other. I am doing what I think is best for Josie, and that is my right as her parent. It's honestly nobody's business, but I am being so open about it because I am not ashamed of medicating my daughter. I am also being open about this particular situation of ours to encourage other parents to go with their gut, be insistent with their child's pediatrician, and do what you have to do to find a solution. My persistence with Josie's doctor paid off, and now we have a solution to the issue that has been plaguing us both for too long.
