Autism and Sleep.

 

Many autistic children have difficulty with sleep.

Either they are unable to fall asleep or the child is unable to stay asleep.

Certain medical factors may disrupt sleep for an autistic child such as: sleep apnea, GI disorders, sensory needs are not being met, melatonin deficiency, or another medical diagnosis.

 

So what can care givers of autistic children do to help these children sleep well.

Firstly you should always speak with your child’s medical team about any and all sleep issues that could be resulting from a medical need. After you have consulted with your child’s doctor, you can work on sleep hygiene.

 

A lot of parents of autistic children tend to be done by bedtime. I know I am. The thing is you are already doing many of the things necessary to provide your child with good sleep hygiene.   Your child has a schedule, set routines, you know how or are learning how to meet your child’s sensory needs, you set boundaries and you know how to properly respond to behaviors. Now you just need to incorporate the tools you already have with a good sleep environment and bedtime rules.

 

A good sleep environment is a room that is cool, dark and quiet. The bedroom temperature should be between 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit. The bedroom should be dark. If you need to use a night light or any type of lighting, please ensure that the lighting is a warm color. Again be mindful of your child’s sensory needs, if the need for moving stars is present just be sure the star setting is a warm color.  The bedroom should be quiet. White noise, if is acceptable to your child, is a wonderful way to regulate the noise of the room while drowning out any noise outside of the room. Taking this a step further, quieting down the whole house helps a lot.  Dim the downstairs lights and lower the volume on any devices that are on. Making the whole house calm will help the child feel like they are not missing out on anything and they are more willing to stay in bed.

 

As if you do not have a million charts and or visual schedules around your home, it is time to incorporate 1 more.  A bedtime chart that lays out the bedtime routine is wonderful. Either use an icon strip you already have or make your own.  The parent can print or draw the steps and the child can color in the chart or add stickers. Verbally tell your child the schedule ahead of bedtime so the child knows what to expect.  Do a trial run, if possible, before bedtime while explaining the schedule. Like anything else you prepare for, prepare for bed.

 

If your child is able to attend to a family meeting, this is a great way to sit and talk about bedtime and what everyone’s job is during this time. The family meeting does not have to be long. Short and sweet works well.  Explain how everyone needs to rest their bodies and tell your child where everyone in the home will be sleeping. Go over the sleep chart and the bedtime routi

 

There maybe some trial and error in finding what helps to get your child to sleep. A weighted blanket may help or a compression sheet. Your child may hate white noise, but frog noises may work well—just ensure that it is on all night long.  Some simple deep pressure may be the ticket.  Finding a sleep story that your child loves and will keep them in bed would be magic.

 

Autistic children may be prescribed medication or sleep aides. That is only 1 step in helping your child sleep well. By also providing good sleep hygiene your child will be able to sleep well. Stay positive. I have

been you. It can happen your family can ALL sleep well.  With everyone sleeping well the whole family improves, parents have more patience during the day and the child is happier and having better days.

 

As parents that is what we want, our children to have the best days posssible.