Parents with a child on the Autism Spectrum already have their hands full.To make things even more challenging, many autistic children also experience difficulties falling and staying asleep. They may act out and require extra attention from mom and dad. It’s not uncommon for them to take longer than normal to fall asleep, and once they are asleep bedwetting might be a regular occurrence.
In this article, we’ll share 10 tips on how to get an autistic child to sleep.
What is Autism?
Autism is a neurological disorder, meaning it affects the nervous system. Because the nervous system controls every function of the body, autism can present itself in a variety of ways, although there are often commonalities.
The most prevalent symptoms include difficulty communicating, undeveloped social and motor skills, obsessive tendencies, repetitive behaviors, and gastrointestinal disorders. ASD is referred to as “Autism Spectrum Disorder,” indicating that there’s a spectrum to this disease.
Sleep and Autism
Children on the autism spectrum, tend to have difficulties falling and staying asleep, and they often sleep LESS than their neurotypical peers due to impairments of the body’s circadian rhythms, abnormalities in melatonin levels, an inability to understand social cues, feelings of anxiety, and sensory processing issues. The reason behind autism sleep disorders isn’t always as obvious, and can be very difficult to correct, which can significantly exasperate a child’s symptoms.
10 Tips to Get Autistic Kids to Sleep
1. Establish a good sleep routine. The sooner you develop – and maintain – a predictable sleep routine, the better. By following the same steps night after night, you are giving your child’s body signals that it’s time to slow down and prepare for sleep. Avoid overly stimulating activities at this time, and make sure to follow the same routine each night.
2. Blowing bubbles. Mindful breathing is a very effective calming strategy, but it can be difficult to teach to small children. A simple way to encourage deep breathing to help your child find his or her way back to a place of calm is to blow bubbles together. This will force your child to take deep, calming breaths naturally, and the bubbles will serve as a fabulous secondary distraction.
3. Plan ahead. Schedule your day in such a way that your child has time to wind down an hour or so before bedtime. Remove electronic devices, turn the TV off, dim the lights, and engage in calming activities like reading, coloring, or listening to soothing music.
4. Bath or Shower. Baths and showers soothing for both adults as well as children. By raising the body temperature, it can induce drowsiness.
5. Soft Musical Background. The music should be soothing. Experts recommend something that has a predictable rhythm, and preferably a tune that’s instrumental rather than someone singing. Classical music is universally relaxing.
6. Keep stress relief toys on hand. Surround them with the things they love. A favorite stuffed animal can all help an autistic child fall asleep and stay in bed all night.
7. Get regular exercise. Physical activity isn’t just effective in helping us sleep better, but it also helps us enter a deeper sleep, so make sure your child is getting ample exercise throughout the day.
8. Bedtime Stories. Reading a bedtime story is a classic technique to help a little one fall asleep. In the case of autistic children, it may help to read something in the genre of poetry that has strong rhyming and sing-song cadence.
9. Comfortable Bedding. A comfortable mattress can make a world of difference. If your little one is sleeping on a hand-me-down that’s several years old, it might be time for an upgrade. The same goes for sheets and pillows. Look for sheets that are made of natural fabric, like cotton, eucalyptus or bamboo. Your child’s pillow should also be carefully considered. It should be medium softness, without being too high or low.
10. Use a Weighted Blanket. Weighted blankets produce deep touch stimulation applying pressure on muscles and joints; it triggers the release of serotonin, which in turn helps regulate feelings of anxiety. Before ordering your weighted blanket or lap pad, remember that they should be no more than 10% of your child’s body weight plus 1 or 2 pounds, and that blankets of any kind shouldn’t be used until a child is over 24 months of age. Personally, we recommend YnM Weighted Blanket, one of the best seller on Amazon, provides the most budget-friendly weighted blanket combined with 3-year-long customer service, the incredible weighted blanket costs you no more than US$100.
Conclusion
Getting a child to fall asleep, regardless of whether they’re autistic or not, is a nightly challenge that could last for years. Within this list of tips, we hope you’ve found one, or a combination of a few of them, helpful for your situation.
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