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| Does your child still display sleep sensitivities s/he did as a baby? |
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Darcie
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Location: BC, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:10 am Post subject: Devan's Sleep Update at Five years |
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Well, our little originator of EST is now 5 years old. At times, it still feels as if it were only yesterday that she was a colicky little babe who couldn't sleep.
She is still very sleep sensitive. When there is new activity in her life (ie starting kindergarten), we can bet she will likely lose a bit of sleep in her excitement, and her behaviours will be directly impacted as a result.
We do make allowances for her, sometimes, one does need to trade in the behaviours for the social schedule, but, that's only for occasions that are deemed special. And then we fully expect her to be cranky and to have to deal with the consequences. I suppose it's a matter of "play now, pay later".
When well-rested, Devan has much more control over her level of energy she has in her body. That ol' cortisol can still be seen at work, she still gets over active when she is tired instead of relaxing. It seems that is simply her biological make-up, to be sensitive to the "fight or flight" hormones that can result from a variety of stimulants in the environment. It's almost always about the social schedule now, and maintaining her decent bedtime even amidst a busy schedule of school, extracuricular activities, friends and family.
Devan has taught me a lot. It has been a lot of extra work it seems (this forum is an example of what she has taught me  ), because with the tendency to become over-tired, there is the tendency to display that same struggle to sleep. Her behaviours have changed from a tiny baby struggling to let go and fall asleep in her swaddle to a five year old who can and does attempt to negotiate her environment, including bed-times.
It is ongoing, dealing with her sleep sensitivities. But so long as she is well-rested, she does have the capacity to be her best out in the world.
Hope to hear some other updates 
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Darcie French, BSW
Founder of Empathic Sleep Teaching
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mbtruenorth
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Location: Winnipeg, MB
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:43 am Post subject: |
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Hey Darcie -- what time does Devan go to bed these days?? Still early?
Last edited by mbtruenorth on Thu Jun 11, 2009 2:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Darcie
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Joined: 11 Apr 2005
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Location: BC, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:11 am Post subject: |
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Hi Terri,
Yes, especially this time of year Devan is in bed early, otherwise, she's up way too early and the downward spiral begins. Since DST she's been in bed between 6:30-7:00 instead of 7:00-7:30. We were able to be a lot more flexible this past summer-- which was nice considering many of her friends are allowd up quite late.
She goes in all day kindergarten and then dance after school, 3 days per week, with play dates on the weekends or tuesdays when she doesn't have dance.
It has not been easy protecting her sleep, especially with all the older kids and there activities. Sometimes, we look around and go oh poopie Devan's still up. It happens. It's just a lot more rare that we don't notice she's OT by the time she's already swinging on the chandeliers 
_________________
Darcie French, BSW
Founder of Empathic Sleep Teaching
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