Sleep advice desperately needed!!

[Sally200]

Can anyone please give me some advice?
My DS, aged almost 4, has SPD and probable ASD. His sleep is getting worse and worse. He goes to bed at 7 - it can take him anything from 15 mins - 90 mins to go to sleep. He will shout for me, ask for things, want his PJ's taking off - it goes on and on. Then during the night, he is waking up lots. Last night he woke up at about 1am - eventually got him to sleep at 5.15am. Pretty silimar the 6 nights before that. He has had a cold so has been sniffly although he is getting better now so don't think it is all down to that.
Thought tonight I would do lots of deep pressure sensory exercises with him to see if that helps. Just wondered whether anyone has any tips/advise/words of wisdom? I really want to avoid medication.

Sally

I think you need to stop going in every time he shouts or asks for things. It doesn't mean being extremely harsh but limiting it somehow, either with saying you will only go back X number of times and possibly have something visual to show this or try to go back every other time. Or just go into the room, don't do anything, try to tone down your intervention gradually iyswim. Also some sort of distraction such as a story on a CD? Make his room/bed more reinforcing, keep back some special things for bedtime only. Unfortunately, at 4, if he gets upset it is going to be a hell of a noise and upsetting. We unknowingly did controlled crying with DS when he was a lot younger because we found out that, when he cried at bedtime, nothing we did actually made much difference so we stopped doing it. In no time at all he stopped and got very into a routine. That is one thing with ASD, if you can instil a routine they may well get hooked on it which can be a good or bad thing. I'm sure someone else will be along who has better ideas......

Well, have been at it now for 40 minutes. I explained (as much as I can - he doesn't understand all of whats been said) that me and daddy would not be coming up again. He has got out of bed and had stood on the landing shouting of us - I have gone up (have a 6 year old trying to get to sleep), have taken him by the hand and led him back to his bed. I've then covered him up and walked out. Have made no eye contact and have not spoken.

Head is splitting from cold and lack of sleep but really feel that we may get somewhere - it certainly can't get any worse!