7 years old still not sleeping

[santerbaby1]

hi anyone got any suggestions since birth my boy who is 7 now will still not go to bed I have tried everything from calming down time, bath, story time just about everything even tried a herbal sleeping remedy with still no luck! he shares a room with his elder brother who goes to bed an hour later but he still manages to keep my elder awake till gone 10 any suggestions please help thanks

[yummymum]

Have you spoke to your doctor about this, at this age he should be well into a routine. only thing i can think of is putting the elder to bed first, having some me time with the younger then telling him because he as had special time with you on his own he as got to go to bed very quietly and not wake big bro up, secretley you could let the older child have extra reading time so he doesnt feel left out. But if you have tried everything then i would go to the docs

[Pirate1]

My daughter was 4, nearly 5 when I finally asked for help because I had tried EVERYTHING and was exhausted. I spoke to a health visitor and they refered her to a child phsychologist (nothing to be ashamed of, thats what they are there for). I could believe it...... after only 3 visits, she went to bed and settled and slept through. The woman only talked briefly to her and mostly to me (whilst daughter was playing at my side). She started a gold star chart award scheme and it worked!! The annoying think is that I had already tried that but somehow, because it was suggested by and done for someone other that 'mum' it worked. Only 3 visits and SORTED. Go for it!

[Cockney_si]

Maybe he's afraid of the dark.

[BerkshireSue]

My brother is autistic and he never slept very well as a child, still doesn't by all accounts. Have you noticed anything else different about your son, compared with his brother? Is splitting them up into separate rooms possible, at least then your eldest can sleep, even if youngest is still bouncing around.
My twins are still very little, they don't sleep as much as I would like... but hey, since when do babies ever sleep as much as their parents would want. Another 6.5 years and I wonder if one or both of my children will be like your 7 year old, a non/restless sleeper.