What am I meant to do?!!

[Lolly2803]

DD has ASD. She is 3yrs 8 months. She is awake in the night for 4 hours at a time. Kicking, hitting, making general noise and at times waking up the other 2 young children I have if not the whole street! I am tired and at my wits end.
Melatonin doesn’t work. What else is there?!!! How do people cope like this every day?

How much outdoor exercise does she get?

Depends. In the week days probably about 1hr30 at a park. Then about the same in the garden. On the weekends we do 2 long walks and 2 parks. So she’s probably outside about 4.5hrs on a weekend day

Have you tried weighted blankets and white noise.

sorry my reply was very functional. Have a hug and flowers too. It sounds very tough

Have you tried keeping a sleep diary? Record what happened that day, food, and what sleep was like?

Yes we had all this in our family. Awake all night. Jumping around chairs ,screaming, and general stuff. Tried melatonin. Didn't work. Then tried nursery all day. Out all day in parks. Gradually she started to sleep all night. We basically exhausted her. Sleeps all night now, unless unwell. She was about 4 before we realised wearing her energy down was the best solution. Lot of us in family so always someone to help out. Sounds like you are more alone. Try nursery all day or as many hours as you can afford. Good luck

I haven’t kept a diary but that’s a good idea. She has a weighted blanket and a weighted teddy. Haven’t tried white noise.
She also has 2.5 hours of ABA therapy every day. It’s so exhausting isn’t it!! Then the behaviour at the end of the day is awful as she’s tired.

Tag team if there are two of you... Honestly if you are a lone parent I have no idea! Reframe bedtimes round what works for her, even if that sounds crazy to other parents of 3 year olds. Made the bed more of a nest. We allow lots of processing time between activities and bed - about 3 hours - whereas my friend finds it helpful to take her child on evening walks til about 9.30.

We find a Spotify Music For Sleep playlist better than white/pink/brown noise on apps. You can type in whatever you fancy Eg whale noises for sleep, forest sleep sounds. and there will be suitable playlists or podcasts.

2.5 hours of ABA, I don't know much about it but that sounds like a lot - is it?

I wonder if this sleep issue coincides with getting ABA?

If your child is having to "behave" for an intensive 2.5 hours of therapy daily I wonder if that would mean a lot of additional processing for your daughter, which could impact sleep.

Evening walk sounds like a good idea especially when the evenings are lighter.

2.5hrs isn’t a lot when you think she could be at pre school all day. She has been having ABA since she was just over 2. Although didn’t have that long or every day then. So she is used to it and loves it. She has in the morning and then the rest of the day she is free to do whatever.

Have you tried magnesium

No...what’s that meant to do!

Article below explaining supposed link.

I don't know if there's much scientific evidence but I have heard of people seeing benefits anecdotally. You need to make sure you're getting a good quality bio available source that your child will actually take though!

www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-and-sleep

Been there, done that, still doing it now.

You can use Epsom salts in the bath too @Lolly2803 I did with ds from about 2 yr old.

Magnesium orally I used floradix liquid but that gave ds loose Pooh so I just stuck to the Epsom salts in the bath which absorbs via the skin, I put more in than the bag says too aswell.

What melatonin did you have? Some consultants prescribe slow release. Not ds consultant, we just get the standard shit.

Do you have a trampoline? Bounce her silly, I always shove ds out on his to tire him out.

And yes to white noise, you can get Disney medleys that play on loop in lovely sounding piano versions, we have tried all sorts, Disney one is my favourite though.

Bedtime light projecting stars / moons onto the ceiling.

Does she understand it’s still night time and not time to get up and play? what about this The Gro Company Gro-Clock Sleep Trainer www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002APJCNE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_8ZG7VS7V7XGH445F2JP7?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

How much of what you say does she actually understand? Can she have a special bed time bear she picks that likes to stay in bed and sleep all night but if she wakes up so does the bear and it makes him grumpy when he’s tired etc etc

It’s hard what to suggest, ds wouldn’t of understood any of that at 3.5 he still doesn’t really at 7 but things we still try.

You can get charts laminated from eBay like this www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383989486515 every night she stays in bed she can put a tick or a sticker then get a reward when she’s consistently stayed in bed / asleep, again age dependant but something for the future.