Sleep
Many autistic children will experience difficulties sleeping at some point, which can have an impact on the whole family.
Sleep related issues
Many autistic children will experience difficulties sleeping at some point, which can have an impact on the whole family. Your child may have difficulties getting to sleep or might wake up throughout the night. Some children will catch up on their sleep during the day or may seem to need less sleep than other family members.
Lack of sleep and tiredness can cause some children to find it difficult to regulate their emotions during the day.
Sometimes small changes can make a big difference to your child’s sleep. Many autistic people prefer predictable routines. Without a clear bedtime routine, your child may become stressed or worried and have difficulty sleeping. Busy or noisy environments may also impact your child’s sleep, particularly if they have sensory needs.
Some children need additional support such as watching TV or cuddling with a family member to get to sleep. However, when they then move into lighter sleep later in the night, they may wake up and find it difficult to re-settle without this support.
Sometimes, when children are overtired, they can become overexcited and have difficulty sleeping. An earlier bedtime may help to support this.
Below are some tips to support your child’s sleep. If you try these strategies and your child continues to experience sleep difficulties, you may wish to seek some professional help to rule out any other causes and to receive additional support.
Some top tips for supporting your child’s sleep:
- Create a regular nighttime routine and try to keep to it every night. Help your child to start ‘winding down’ at least an hour before their bedtime. This may include them having a bath, listening to a story, or drinking a milky drink. Try to avoid stimulating activities such as active play, computer games, or watching TV.
- Create a relaxing environment in your child’s bedroom. Switch the TV off, switch off or dim the lights, and try to reduce any noise.
- Encourage your child to settle alone in their own bed. If you usually cuddle your child to help them get to sleep, try gradually withdrawing yourself a little more each night. For example, one night, you might sit next to the bed, the next night you might sit away from the bed, then in the doorway, and then sit outside their bedroom until your child is able to settle independently. Repeat this process if your child wakes up in the night.
- Have clear rules about the bedtime routine and explain these to your child. Try using pictures of these rules if needed. For example, ‘You need to stay in your own bed’, ‘The TV needs to be turned off after 7 pm.’
- Try to avoid your child sleeping in your bed. This may solve the issue in the short term but may lead to your child finding it more difficult to sleep independently in the long term.
- Try using a reward chart to encourage your child to sleep in their own bed.
- If your child’s sleep needs continue, speak to your health visitor, GP, or Social Worker for further support.
- For more advice and support, have a look on The Sleep Charity website (https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/ ) and consider contacting their helpline: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/national-sleep-helpline/
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