Please or to access all these features

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Sleep Deprivation is getting me down!

3 replies

Sareyggs · 25/01/2011 14:19

Hi there, I am a 3.9 year old with ASD and major communication and sensory difficulties. Until recently he was a reasonable sleeper. He often struggled to go to sleep but was quite happy to sing to himself or get up and read a book until he fell asleep on the floor and I then lifted him into bed. He would sometimes wake in the night but again quite happy and went back off after no more than half an hour. Since the beginning of Dec his sleep patterns have become worse and worse. He now won't go to sleep without the door open and with someone lying on the floor beside his bed. He then wakes up between 4-5am and screams until we take hime downstairs and put the telly on! He seems to have lost all ability to settle himself and seems to be in pain, although because he has limited communication its hard to tell whats wrong, all he says is "I want to get off!" a phrase he uses for everything when its not what he wants. I am at my wits end as I also have a 21 month old who keeps getting woken up, hence why I end up appeasing him with the tv to stop the screaming. He did have an ear infection and was on antibiotics but he has since been checked by the doc and is fine. Is it normal for ASD children to suddenly find sleep difficult? Is there anything I can do to change him back to his old rountine? Any help would be greatly appreciated xx

OP posts:
mum2GKH · 25/01/2011 14:30

I really sympathise, it is really common for children with asd to have poor sleep. A couple of things that I have used with DD and other ideas I got from Earlybird were

A sleeping bag
A heavier duvet
Sheet and blanket tucked in tight rather than duvet
Tight pjs or I found those Lycra sun suits a miracle instead of pjs

I am sure others will have other ideas

I have a 14 month old too who is teething and so they wake each other up, am hoping it will get better soon.

FickleFreckle · 25/01/2011 16:42

ooh, I can sympathise re: sleep deprivation (you feel as if you are going mad don't you?) DS has gone in and out of dodgy sleeping and is currently doing well - it is so frustrating when you can't get to the bottom of what the matter is.

We have found Christiane Kerr's relaxation tapes a great help as she takes you on a "magical journey" that kept ds still and quiet long enough to go to sleep. Of course like all solutions it didn't last forever as he started acting the journeys out and getting wound up about things in them but it did give us some much needed calm and still works sometimes.

Actually it is (we hope NT) dd who is the nightmare sleeper in this house and at 2.10 she is still bfing to sleep several times a night - so I know all about that nightmare dynamic where they are setting each other off, mum2GKH :(

What has helped me the most (and believe me sleep deprivation is a major part of my experience of parenting)is just relaxing and going with the flow, trying to work round the sleeping or lack of in a way that doesn't drive me crazy, not beating myself up or feeling I have to be with screaming ds all the time if I have got to have a break. We have to protect our own mental health too and time honestly does sort a lot out.

happydayyay · 25/01/2011 21:56

Know how you feel our dd is 4.9 and has never slept, but she is getting worse.
She wakes for about 3 hours most nights and is hypo or talking to someone imaginary.
Its getting quite a worry as she has now started full time school and goes back to sleeep when its time to get up.
We are shattered but she seems ok through day. Hope you get some sleeep soon Smile

New posts on this thread. Refresh page