Sleep

[dorsetmummy]

Does anyone else have problems with getting their child to sleep at night.

 

S is taken to bed at 8 and read a story and then I lie with her and sit and read until she falls asleep, this can take up to an hour.

 

I can see no other way out of this situation at the moment.

 

Anyone else have the same problems?

 

Julie

[lil_me]

My son sleeps for between 3 and 5 hours a day usually. He now goes in his bed himself but I used to have to sit with him until he was asleep.

 

Breaking the routine of lying with her on a night might help, try moving away gradually, reading one story then saying after this it is sleep time, sitting next to her, then to the end of the bed, then at the door etc. Maybe putting her to bed a little later if she isn't ready for sleeping when you are taking her.

 

Its never easy breaking the routine of a child on the spectrum so I won't lie especially when it comes to bedtime rituals, you may get some tears and tantrums on the way. Choose a week or so to start it when you haven't got too much going on so you are quite focused on getting this sorted. I find it impossible to change my sons routine and be strong enough to stand my ground if I have a lot on my mind/going on

Edited October 10, 2005 by lil_me

[Amanda32]

Hi dorsetmummy

 

Lots of us on here have had or going through the same thing with sleep, either getting off to sleep or staying asleep all night. My son cant get to sleep but I have given up now just let him go to sleep when he wants. The paediatrician told me just let him go to bed by 9pm (he's 9) as long as he's quiet and stays in his room let him go when he's tired even if it's 12am and that's usually most nights.

 

Try these thread see if they help

 

Getting a night's sleep

http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.ph...t=0entry36976

 

Sleep...or not..

http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.ph...st=0entry1277

 

Bedtime

http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.ph...t=0entry16123

 

Take care

Amanda

Edited October 10, 2005 by Amanda32

[lynyona]

kieran is 19 now and he doesnt feel the need to sleep.Some morning he is still in his room at 1.00am watching dvds but when he was younger i used to have to sit with him till he fell sleep, on the odd occasion he does get a bit noisy i just go in and tell him to turn his tv down and it is time he was in bed. lynn

[Suze]

Hi my son is 10 dx ASD/AS. During times of increased stress(at the moment all the time), my son worries, continually at night/bedtime.We find that 1-2 hrs of talking lying next to him settles.He can worry about anything.....G8....the USA signing the Kyoto treaty , school , etc. He also sleep walks and shouts out and cries in his sleep.I find the worries of the day play over in their minds last thing at night and this could be why she needs you close and needs your reassurance.Maybe listen to a relaxation tape together............I find I nod off next to my son .

[lisann]

Hi C has never been a good sleeper on a bad night he sleeps for about 2 hours and on a good night 4/5 hours.We are like walking zombies in our house.He does have medication however we are going back to get it reviewed as it had the opposit effect and made him crazy.You aren't alone.

 

Have you tried looking on the NAS website I believe there is information on sleep and what to try i do have a copy somewhere but can't find it it may be some use to you.

Lisa

[faye]

My son never used to want to go to bed and 9 times out of 10 he would fall asleep on the sofa not ideal .My friend lil-me suggested a sticker chart mainly just to get him to stay in his bed ,he got one star if he went into his bed but then ended up in my bed so then we said well if you stay in your bed all night you can have 2 stars and that did work as my issue was just getting him to stay in his own bed.He still doesn't sleep right through even with medicine,when he goes to bed he watches a dvd but once it's finished it's sleep time

[forbsay]

Hello

 

Em my ASD son sleeps all night................I appreciate that we are very very fortunate. We have a safety gate on his bedroom door which worked a treat when he was younger. Now that he is 5, he has the strength to open it but our bedroom routine is still there ie when the gate is closed, then he knows that it is time to sleep!

[faye]

I still have safety gate on my sons door but its mainly for safety,as he once got up and tried to put gas fire on and all the gas was escaping into the house

[KarenT]

J won't go to bed till I do. Fortunately I'm always knackered and in bed by 9pm, then he's straight to bed and out like a light. I think it might be a security thing of some sort.

 

Karen

x

[alibaly]

We use melatonin and have done for 2 years now, it has been a godsend, 12 years of getting by on 4 or 5 hours sleep a night was not a joke though we did cope by having catnaps in the day etc. My son was like so many others I've heard of over the years, he just couldn't fall asleep, once he was asleep though he did sleep but getting him to sleep was really difficult.

[mum22boys]

I know what you are going through on this one. I can't remember the last time my son went to bed and stayed there. He will typically come down after going to bed at 7.30 maybe five to ten times on a bad night even more. He is a big worrier and he replays the days events in his head. The london bombings caused a good few sleepless nights! Even a visit at school from the fire brigade brought problems at night. He has a very vivid imagination and believes fingers come through his walls. He will only settle in our bed and unfortunately this has become some sort of routine. We can however carry him through to his bed after he is asleep. I sympathise with you on this because we go through the same every night until he eventually falls asleep at approx 10pm.

[jenny1969]

hi i just wanted to add my daughter is a bad sleeper can be up very late but in the end i gave in and and got her a tv in her room her pead advised us not to because she would be up all hours watching it but she was up all hours anyway for our health i put a tv in her room that did help a little but the best thing we bought was a waterbed for her she loves it she says its warm and squishy she sleeps the same but she will not get out of bed now she likes getting in it she watches tv and she seems so relaxed the only thing now she hates getting out its been a god send i put her in bed at 9 she puts the tv on and she is happy as anything she is awake till late but atleast she stays in her room and in bed its made such a difference to us as a family jenny

[elaine1]

I do, my son is 12 and never sleeps before 12 midnight any night. I have tried melatonin and had some success.