HELP NEEDED! to all the well seasoned ASD Parents, at the end of my tether

[ManxMum]

ds aged 7, early onset autism, no speech. is waking at anytime between 1am and 5am (5am is a rare lie-in)
No real probs getting him off to sleep at 7.30 - 8pm (I know I am lucky there!) but can't cope with early mornings, TV at full volume and furniture removals,bed bouncing and general noises.
I am on my own and DS is off atm with a cold, so no break during the day.
Have used melatonin and have had, for the last week, phenergan which doesn't seem to help
any ideas PLEASE

DS was very much the same when he was younger, i made a black out blind for his window and installed baby gates so he got the message that he was not to come out of his room, he is better now thou still wakes up early 4-5 but he sits looking at his beano comics.

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DS2's sleep really improved when he went gluten free. We didn't see any other major changes but it's been worth it just for that! Apologies if you're already doing this and it's made no difference...

DH made shutters but they had to be removed for DS's safety!
Clever boy can open stairgate! I have trouble in doing it.
Bedroom might be cold though, hadn't thought about that one and his nappy must make him colder when it's 'peed out'
I suppose as I am not getting the school respite atm isn't helping me as I am not getting a break at all.
Apparently I can get a remote control for my heating system that I can use from upstairs to switch heat on when he wakes. If I go downstairs to switch it on, he thinks it's breakfast time! So might look into cost of that.

Thanks!!

we had a mesh fold up travel saftey gate from argos, it doesn't open at all we used to put it all little off the floor so he couldn't get under it or over it.

I think you will just have to find ways of managing his wakefulness so it has less impact on you such as amusing himself in a safe enviornment. We have been suffering for 2 years from anytime after 4am wake ups with ds2. DD for the past 12 months has had 2am wakings but we are lucky that she can go back off again. We used to sit ds2 in a pushchair well strapped, with the brakes on and away from anything in front of a dvd that kept replaying as he loves repetition, not ideal but at least i got a bit more sleep and he was safe. He soon screamed if he needed anything. Unfrtunately he is too big now.

Are you sure that he doesn't also have ADHD

Ummm my daughter is like this now and she is 14 ,the black circles around my eyes are about to take over my face it has got a little easier ,i know if my daughter goes to sleep before 10pm she will be up at 1am ,we have tried strict bed routines,relaxing baths ,melatonin ,changing the color of the bedroom removing everything from the bedroom no stimuli , change of bed,white noise , removed her tv but nothing has worked in the end i gave up i let her have her tv , video in her room she turns it off when she wants to go to sleep and it keeps her amused at night and keeps her in her room for a little while longer ,but there is nothing like being woken up at 1am with the Bear went over the mountain on full blast and shes bouncing on the bed along with it ,i wish i could be of more help but i haven't found any thing yet that has worked she has been the same way sleeping since she was a baby out of hospital ! sending you lots of hugs x

Hi,

I am not seasoned but the following seem to have worked:

Thermal underwear with pyjamas and sleeping bag
Gluten free and cassein free diet
Black out blinds
Access to Mr Men books which are not in cot but he can reach and read in the morning