The Soda Diaries

So my tests continues:

For those who missed it, the pediatrician prescribed Amelia some medicine to help her sleep.  I was told to give her 1/2 a pill an hour before bed.

Wednesday, 2/20, Day 1:

630pm I gave her 1/4 pill, I'm just not ready to give the full half, heck I don't even want to give her anything but not sleeping isn't good for any of us.

830pm She's still talking away, to her "friends", her "friends" are "talking back to her", about 'odometers', ticks and everything else in her little brain.  I know she needs to sleep so I tried something I had heard of, gave her a small cup of coke zero.  Caffeine can have an opposite effect on ADHD, Autistic and Aspergers kids.  5 minutes later--SHE'S OUT!  Slept all night like an angel.



Thursday, 2/21, Day 2:

7pm After talking to the pediatrician I gave her the 1/2 pill, the assure me it's a very mild medicine and technically she could take a full pill.  As part of my test I don't want to give the coke, let's see how the med works along.

945pm O-M-G, it won't stop.  She's laughing and talking non-stop.  I'm at my wits end so 1/2 a cup of coke zero here we come.  I finish watch House Hunters International and at 10pm she's out cold.

Could it be the coke zero?  Could it be the combination?  Who knows, Friday night we'll try the coke zero only.   When I got home from a girls night out I found out my husband didn't give her the coke but proceeded to inform me that we are putting her to bed too early, she'll fall asleep on her own about 10pm...yep, just what a 4 year old needs to be doing.  So Saturday night Mommy will do this experiment herself.


She did wake up at 230 because she wet her bed, can't blame her, I gave her coke at 945pm.  She stayed awake until 6 this morning but played a little quieter except the occasional really loud laughing...someone was funny in that room!

Friday, 2/22, Day 3:
Don't leave your husband to do a job.

Saturday, 2/23, Day 4:
Well it was a rough night, she was a complete diva.  I sent her to her room for punishment and was debating whether to give her the coke, it seemed like a reward.  But after she settled down I decided to try it.  It took 45 minutes to an hour but she went to sleep.  Really I don't know know if it was the coke or exhaustion from all of that rebelliousness.

Sunday & Monday, Days 5 & 6:
I thought maybe the medicine was taking longer to work for her so I gave it to her at 530 in the afternoon, 730, 830, 930, NOTHING!  So I gave the coke.  Sunday night it worked relatively quickly, Monday, she was dancing to "if your happy and you know it".  Finally about 930 she went to sleep. 

So in conclusion, research is not my field of expertise.  I have no clue!  I suppose I need to call the doctor back, all the books I read say the parent who doesn't give up has the most successful child, God bless those parents. Can you sense my discouragement?

I'll rest my brain this morning and see how I'm feeling in the afternoon.  Perhaps my child really is the energizer bunny.