Help! 5 year old DS finding it impossible to switch off at bedtime - tips?

[alicat10]

My 5 year old DS has been diagnosed with AS since starting school. generally we do not see a great deal of issues at home as I think he feels safe here but in the last few weeks he is finding it impossible to wind down & go to sleep. taking 2-3 hours from lights out & he is getting more & more tired leading to more & more difficult days at school which in turn contribute to him finding it hard to wind down etc. Bedtime routine hasn't changed. Any ideas for things I could try to help him

Had the same problem with my DS. We use a cd player, with headphones and he listens to story cds. It seems to have helped.

Bath in Epsom salts before bed has been recommended in the past. You can get catering packs size from Boots I think.

Thanks, have tried story CDs not on headphones so will try these 2 suggestions. He shares with little sister & they are keeping each other awake too so think I'll have to resort to 2 diff bedtimes...

White noise machine - we have an app called sleep stream two on our iPod which we use, or we play the Marconi union spa therapy music - we use these to help him relax
The other thing is a weighted blanket - these are expensive, so we use a super king size cotton blanket which is really heavy folded over and over to Ds size !
However - all this has been a problem for a year or so he now has very little problem, and I think that is because on the sensory integration training we have been doing ( that has also meant he has been more successful at school which has helped feel better about himself, so he is more relaxed/happier) . DS has fine motor dyspraxia, so not ASD , but I know a lot of ASD children have sensory integration issues as well.
Also the kinestheisiologist we see put him on a B12 supplement - that helped too

It is all very new but I am sure sensory integration issues are a major issue for him - how did you get therapy?

through a specialist OT......He has seen many OT's (He has fine motor dyspraxia so his fine motor skills are shocking), many claiming to do sensory intergration therapy, and we never saw any change. However we are now working with someone in London and the change has been incrediable.....unfortunately we have to pay for it privately....but the results have been beyond my wildest dreams.

Listening to music, the same album every night for the last three years.

We have the same here and it happens every June. DS thinks I am putting him to bed in the day time. He has a little MP3 player that he listens to restful music on and this does seem to help just keep him still. He also gets pretty exhausted and this makes going to sleep even more difficult.

Thanks for all the advice. He shares a bedroom with his 3 yr old sister so he is keeping her awake & I struggle to do anything for him that she doesn't have too, so iPod + headphones prob not an option. Has anyone tried massage?

Have you tryed a ceiling shadow light (argos)? I heared about it on here but havnt tryed it yet, I have been considering it lately as I'm having similar problems getting dd to calm down+relax to go to sleep. Its supposed to project kaliderscope type show onto the ceiling+helps relax them+send to sleep apparently.

It feels a bit like finding the right combination is like looking for a needle in a haystack but at least Ihave a list to work through...

My NT 3 yr old and ASD 5 yr old share a bedroom. They CANNOT go to bed at the same time or neither sleeps. So I put the 3 yr old up first (he is an amazing sleeper, such a relief after 2 ASD children with massive sleeping issues) do DS2s reading with him for half hour or so and then put him to bed when DS3 is already asleep.
DS2 needs lots of covers over him to help him drop off, I am looking at getting him a weighted blanket.

DS1 only drops off 'early' ie before 2-3 in the morning if he has melatonin, but fortunately he is quite happy reading in bed until he falls asleep, and has done for years.

Forgot to mention blackout blinds (especially in the Summer) and a turtle nightlight thing that projects stars of different colours onto the ceiling.

We found no television after 5pm made a big difference