Hi, my son is 12 and for a while he has had problems sleeping. He can sometimes fall asleep at the drop of a hat and other times be up for an hr laying in bed unable to sleep. He was tested for adhd bout 4 years ago and is on strattera. He has had this sleeping problem since he was in pre k and most of the doctors tell me he just being fussy or he just tired. They say he will outgrow it but it seem to be having more problems the older he is getting.

First he had fast heart beat count on his physical for school banning him atm from sports. He is always tired, and would rather sit down to relax then play becuase he is so wiped out all the time. He has depression but has a reaction to most meds they have tired him on so he doesn't take any for his depression.
When he sleeps he sleeps maybe 2 hrs then suddenly wakes up and is awake for a long period of time unable to sleep. The only time he deep sleeps it seem is when he is sick and he will sleep 3 to 4 hrs but is always like climbin the wall when he sleep or propped up again the wall or in a ball. At first I thought he just always sleeps like that but then I realized my mom had sleep apena tho they said it was due to being overwieght with her.
My son is far from overwieght. He is a very tall and thin as a fence post boy who is having a very hard time mantaining sleep. He has a set bed time but i have seen him for hrs afterwards just layin in bed not doin anything and unable to sleep!

I do not have insurance anymore as i just started a new job and I guess you would say I am the lower class as they get free meals at school.
Any advice or help?

Thanks
A concerned mom
Sheila

Good insight and certainly a possibility.  Does your son snore, or are his tonsils enlarged?  Children are different from adults with OSA in that children tend to be more hyperactive (and misdiagnosed with ADHD) rather than hypersomnolent.  If you son snores or has large tonsils/adenoids, then OSA is certainly a possibility, and a sleep study would be warranted.  Many children placed on stimulants because of 'ADHD' turn out to have had OSA, and with removal of tonsils their OSA went away and so did their 'ADHD' / need for stimulants.

Keep us informed!