sleep for girl with tics

[tired314]

Our adoptive 8 year old daughter will not sleep in her own room, and needs us to lie down with her until she goes to sleep at night.   She has had night terrors on and off for most of her life with us, but did sleep in her own room until about a year or so ago, when she began to negotiate sleeping with us in our bed.  It has now escalated to the point where she expects to sleep in our room every night and is very anxious about us leaving the room after she falls asleep. This has coincided with the onset of a tic disorder last fall, which we are trying to control through vitamin therapy, biofeedback, and food allergy testing.
We really feel it is time for her to become more independent, and would like her to be able to sleep alone (the request for sleepovers has begun and she is not at all ready for this like other kids seem to be...) but are worried that maybe we are expecting too much with her tic disorder, etc. Any advice?

[tired314]

Thanks for your response.  Yes, she has seen a neuropsychologist and is currently doing vitamin therapy and biofeedback at an alternative clinic for her tics.  We are tried some food allergy testing and are considering therapy for anxiety. And yes, dealing with her sleep issues  could be too much all at once.

[supermomma531]

It sounds like she has developed anxiety which in turn shows as a tic disorder. Have you taken her to your doctor? What are they doing for her about it? I think that you need to get this under control first before taking on getting her into her own room. When that time comes though, you're going to have one heck of a time with her. Have you thought about getting to speak to a therapist of some sort? Maybe a child psychologist would be able to help. Good luck.