Hi,
My 4 year old son with Autism has been having sleep issues since about Nov of last year. He went through a phase where he was waking up a couple of times at night and not getting a good nights sleep and than being super hyper in school the next day just to keep himself awake. We have started him on Melatonin, we stopped giving liquids after dinner to make sure he doesn't have to urinate in the middle of the night, we do the same bedtime routine, his room has blackening shades so no sunlight gets in, we have a fan blowing in his closet for background noise and he has a weighted blanket and a magnetic pad that is supposed to really keep kids sleeping deeply. We have been journalling him this past week and I will say he has been sleeping better and through the night 4 out of 5 nights but I don't want to get too excited because like anything when I think I have it figured out- he changes or stops doing it. Have I covered all my bases- is there something else that I could do to help? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Hi J.,
You might want to take a close look at what is going on the hour before bedtime, such as what is on TV. I noticed that certain types of shows would affect Alex's sleep.
What is Melatonin??
S. T
5-HTP, precursor to making serotonin. Also, is you son on any diet restriction? Some kids wake because night time is the time your liver works hard to rid the body of toxins--can try Milkthistle at night to help the liver. Some kids have phenol sensitivity--Bananas and many other foods have high phenolic content and it isn't handled well by some kids--makes them laugh for no apparent reason in middle of the night. My son has had sleep issues off and on since the flu vaccine that precipited his autism at age 3. Last night I was up at midnight. You may want to try food journaling. My son's sleep has definitely improved with melatonin being the biggest help (3-6mg) also 5-HTP (100mg) and milk thistle. He's GF/CF, most nuts, oats, soy, coconut, egg, and pineapple free (IgG reactivity). I don't think he has phenol problems (at least not major) and am trying to determine if he is sensitive to oxylates (also in many fruits, veggies, and nuts). He had strep issues, some viral issues, and I haven't figured out the difference when these flare from yeast issues (i.e. which burden makes him stim, which gives him a rash, which causes night waking, etc). My son's not potty trained--so he wears a diaper 24-7. So unless he's super saturated, he's not waken up by pee.
We have a 13 y.o. son with autism and used to get up during the night, want to watch video's, jump on the trampoline, party all night then the neurologist gave us a med call clonidine, he takes just one small pill before bed and he sleeps through the entire night without ever moving, he has been on this for five years it is the BEST thing ever! It's an older medicine and has no side effects, I know it is scary to put kids on meds, but you need and he needs to sleep, try it! I know many families that use this. Good luck, L.
Howdy J. B.
For the past 15 years, I've been working closely with Autistic students & their families. One thing many have in common reguarding sleep issues are the sensitivity to what they wear, especially when they go to sleep. Check fabrics of all clothing, bedding, etc. Also, laundry items (detergents , Softeners, etc.) should all be free of dyes & fragrances. Hope this helps! Best wishes to you & your family from R. M. in Lake County, Il.
