Yes it would fit to the dosing Sue.  I believe that the rythyms shift with the way we wake and sleep.  It is common sense and for the reasons that I outlined.  I am talking about a healthy person with normal functioning adrenal glands, but there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with a CAH’ers circadian variation whatsoever, and yes theirs would shift too.  That is why if they wake earlier, it makes sense to give that morning dose then.  In normal people, their levels of cortisol would peak when rising and becoming active.  So I do dispute what Carol has said basically and I know that there is nothing in the way of evidence to suggest otherwise.  For one if we got up earlier, the activity would be sensed by the hypothalmus.  That is what is in charge where the need for cortisol is concerned.  The adrenals just make it, they don’t dictate how much is needed.  Everyone knows here that an active body would need MORE cortisol than one in deep sleep.  So if you did shift your sleep, waking pattern on a permanent basis, or it does not corresponde with this regime, it would be silly not to shift your med times.  

That is all surmising that you feel okay waking up early with your child.  What time do you give med’s now and what time does she wake at?  My thoughts are that if you want to wake later, you could try dosing later, and keeping your daughter up later, but if she does not move over to that regime and is still waking up early, then it could be a problem.  The minute she rises and is active, she would need her early dose really.  Especially given the facts about it not peaking for an hour after being taken.  I don’t think for ONE minute that everyones cortisol peaks in exactly the same spot every day despite what time they get up--be it 6am 8am or 10am.  That is not I feel how these things work.

From what your asking above, it may be possible to alter a child’s circadian rythms by encouraging them to sleep in longer, but she is a small baby and in my experience, they wake up with the birds half the time.  If there is no way you can get them back to sleep, you have to get up with them.