An update on our Magnesium oil trial.

Guys I unfortunately don't have much to say about the magnesium oil. It certainly wasn't the solution I was looking for or a miracle cure to help Kirsty sleep. I did find that it relaxed her a little bit before bed but her problem has never been falling asleep but rather staying asleep. It might help for anyone who struggles to doze off at night but as for getting her through the night it didn't work.  Save your money on this one guys.

We've also started using Cell Nutrition Isotonics and while I feel Kirsty is a little sharper and more sociable than before I think it's too early to tell if they are the cause. We've only been using them 2 weeks and I'd like to give it more time before reviewing it. I will say that Logan tried a new food since we started him on them but again that could be coincidental. Time will tell.

Now for the hard part. 👇

 I mentioned before that we had used Phenergan  ( an antihistamine ) on occasion when things were at dire straits to get Kirsty and us, a decent night sleep.  This was doctor approved and it did work for a period of time until she became immune to it.
After almost 3 weeks of no sleep I recently went back to my doctor in tears and they advised us to try Piriton. We have been trying this every night ( except for the sleepover in Nana's because she always sleeps there the pup!! ) and it is definitely working. Piriton is also an antihistamine.

Please note this is a seriously sensitive issue for us. I've agonized over whether to say this out but I pride myself on being honest and that won't change.
I'm telling you all the honest truth because I don't want to lie and tell people who kindly follow us that an oil or a drink will get you a night's sleep. You've all seen me on snapchat at 4am night after night in tears and something had to give.

Many autism mommies I've spoken to are in the same boat, using the same remedies but are so afraid to say it incase they are judged... and I was too.  I thought " people might say I'm drugging her" and "what if they think I'm just taking the easy way out to get some sleep?"
Maybe they still will but all I can say is come live with us and then you'd see. Stay awake night after night, all night, and get upto my 3 year old boy just as his sister dozes off at 5am. If she does go back to sleep...because sometimes she doesn't.
Look at a 5 year old girl with dark circles under her pretty blue eyes and a sickly pale colour to her skin.

It killed me.
To look at her and know she feels sick because I've been up all night and I constantly felt nauseous from tiredness. I couldn't do it anymore. To us or to her. Something had to give.
This isn't long term.  It's not supposed to be and it won't be. We will try our best to get her through the night without help whenever and however we can.
But for now we need that extra help and if it's ok with the doctor, I can live with that.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

So we are currently on night 7 with no sleep. Kirsty has always been a bad sleeper but since we came home from holidays she hasn't slept for more than 4 hours a night. Yesterday she went from 1.15am to nearly 11pm last night before she went off.
I am fit to be tied and I don't know how Brian is driving to work. We have tried everything from Phenergan to Melatonin, Lullaby milk to lavender and she just cannot sleep through the night.  It used to be an hour or two that she'd just lie there and chat to herself but now it's full on hyper mode. She jumps on the bed, turns on her light, pulls back the curtains and squeals at the top of her lungs.  I swear at that hour you'd feel like murdering her.  There is nothing worse than no sleep. I almost reversed into someone in Blackpool shopping centre I'm so distracted. It's relentless and it's every night now. Even when we do get her back to sleep Logan wakes between 5am and 6am. Torture!! And she's exhausted too. She's cranky and fed up and it's a long day for us all.

So I'm trying a magnesium oil from the Health shop. Apparently you rub a few drops on her temples and the back of her neck and it aids sleep.  I'm sceptical but I'll try anything at this stage. There was a few articles online about the benefits of the oil for kids with Autism too but i can't vouch for it yet.
It was €16.35 for the 100ml bottle so here's hoping it helps.  I'll keep ye posted.  🤞🤞🤞

Prepare me... a revolutionary idea

Question for you all you special needs parents ... do you find it hard to prepare your children for things outside the home?
 Like the hairdresser, supermarket, doctor etc.  Would it make your life and theirs a little easier if service providers had visual aids or schedules to explain what was gonna happen?
For ex. The doctors.  Imagine a little visual schedule on the wall with pictures of what happens. Like from the waiting room, to a doctor's picture, and maybe the stethoscope or thermometer etc.
Imagine if these were everywhere? That's exactly what one young entrepreneur and student is trying to achieve with  her new concept " Prepare Me".
Caitriona is completing a post grad in autism studies and won a place with The Academy for Social Entrepreneurs of Ireland a couple of months back. It basically offers 6mths mentorship and support for early stage social enterprise.
She contacted me to gather some info about what exactly us parents would want and need when taking our kids out.
I love the idea of this.  I don't know how many times I've repeated to Kirsty " nearly done " or " home soon ". When she doesn't have a plan in her head she gets super stressed.

This idea could change life for many kids out there that struggle with not knowing what's happening next and the parents that try to prepare at home but we can only do so much.  We need service providers to help too.