To think this benefits advisor was wrong.

[AVoidkaTheKillerZombies]

This happened yesterday and I have been mulling it over, but I a sure IANBU.

DS2's DLA forms are due for renewal, he is 4.9.

He sleeps very badly. He doesnt go to bed until about 9pm, then he is awake again by 1.30, back down by three and then awake again by 5. Sometimes he will go back down but mostly thats it and we are up for the day. When he is awake I am awake - normally in bed with him signing or reading stories. Melatonin hasnt worked, a sleep specialist from the LA couldnt offer any help except putting a lock on his door so he cant get out

I took the forms I had done to a welfare rights drop in. The benefits advisor told me that this isnt much different to the sleeping pattern of most children under 5.

I am sure she is wrong. DS1 slept much better than that and DD who is 3 sleeps all night.

Do/Did your 4 year olds sleep like this?

Ds was like that until he was about 7/8

Yanbu though, you must be knackered.

I dont think it's that unusual tbh.

Hello. We're going to move this to the Sleep topic now.

I would be very surprised if 'most' children under 5 only sleep for 7ish broken hours during the night. I know children who go to bed late and I know children who get up early and I know children who get up during the night but I don't know children who do all 3 or who do it every night.

Why are you singing and reading stories in the middle of the night? Do you think this could be giving him a reason to wake up and not go back to sleep?

My nt 6 yr old is usually awake and lively until about half nine (upstairs by 7, and in pajamas, brushed and washed etc). Then sleeps until about 7am ish. So, if it's not just crap parenting (ie too much stimulation, no routine, blah blah) then I think it IS unusual. FWIW my sn ds is awake until god knows when, can't sleep, wakes late, etc - much less predictable.

Colditz, she said signing not singing.

I would say this is certainly unusual, also going by your post if you sign with him there are other problems? If so don't give up with the DLA.

I know that children with ASD dont need alot of sleep - we were referred to the sleep team after melatonin didnt work (actually it made things worse).

If I dont spend time with him when he wakes he starts getting hyper and running round the house and waking everyone else up.

Its crap but I suppose we are used to it now and it works well enough.

Sorry, I should ahve said in my original post that DS has ASD. I thought I had.

Thing is, just be be because he doesn't need alot of sleep doesn't make it any less difficult for you.

I would say the advisor was wrong.

I would say this is very unusual and exhausting. I have a dd like this but she has sn and it's par for the course with her condition. I have never heard of an nt child with such extreme sleep problems. I'm sure they exist but I would imagine it is extremely rare

It's not normal, no. My 5 yearold sleeps roughly 11 hours a nights, mostly unbroken. If his sleep is insufficient enough to get melatonin prescribed to you, it's worth writing to the dla on the form explaining the lengths you have to go to to prevent the household being woken up

I also didn't realise he had ASD or I wouldn't have madesuch an irrelevant comment. I will make a comment that is relevantthough...... put him in his own room if at all possible and get him a dvd player, and find a dvd that he will watch

I think it's fairly common for children under 5 to wake in the night, but to be awake for 2 hours and need attention/supervision is unusual and I think they are probably making excuses.

My NT kids at that age sleep/slept 10-12 hours

You must be knackered.

I do think I have got used to it, but to sleep 8 hours in my own bed would be my idea of heaven. DS likes flat pillows and I miss my nice fluffy ones :o