Aldrich (right) has no problem in sleeping. When he feels sleepy, he just can sleep right away. Lately he always sing or imitate the sound of movie characters he watched before sleeping.
Axel (left) has sleeping issues. He need me to be there, accompany him, hold his feet according to his exact position. If I move my hand, he realized it. When he woke up and did not see me, he can not sleep very well. Then it effected his activities for whole day. It happened constantly for three years. It seem I had to sleep according to his habit.
Now he still needs "pre-time" sleeping usually half an hour or one hour. The different is I do not have to hold his feet all the time again. We usually discipline him in sleeping time. He has to sleep at least at 8 PM and wake up at 6.30 AM. Starting 7.30 PM we pray, turned the light off, kiss him, and cover him with blanket. Listening classical music helps to calm him.
This article related to my experience in sleeping issues.
*********************
Date First Published: April 2, 2007
Date Last Updated: October 30, 2008
Many individuals with an ASD have difficulty achieving normal sleep patterns. Whether they have trouble getting to sleep, wake numerous times during the night, or awaken very early and stay awake the rest of the day, sufficient sleep is definitely lacking. REM sleep patterns have been shown to be disturbed, and some individuals on the spectrum may even be suffering from an actual sleep disorder.
This can be a problem for the person with an ASD, as they have plenty to handle already without adding sleep deprivation to the list. Clearly, their unusual sleep pattern may also be a problem for family members whose own rest is disrupted. This is particularly true of parents of young children. Coping with their child with an ASD may be nearly impossible if parents are not only stressed, but constantly suffering from broken sleep.
This issue often overlaps with that of “rituals." (See Insistence on Sameness.) Bedtime routines can become exhausting. For example, children may demand a certain order of pre-bedtime events, that a parent lie down or stay in the room with them, that the entire household go to bed at the same time, or that all the blinds and curtains in the bedroom be positioned in a specific way. Non-compliance by family members can result in tantrums and an even more disrupted bedtime that impacts everyone in the household’s sleep and ability to cope the next day.
Source: IAN Community
Axel (left) has sleeping issues. He need me to be there, accompany him, hold his feet according to his exact position. If I move my hand, he realized it. When he woke up and did not see me, he can not sleep very well. Then it effected his activities for whole day. It happened constantly for three years. It seem I had to sleep according to his habit.
Now he still needs "pre-time" sleeping usually half an hour or one hour. The different is I do not have to hold his feet all the time again. We usually discipline him in sleeping time. He has to sleep at least at 8 PM and wake up at 6.30 AM. Starting 7.30 PM we pray, turned the light off, kiss him, and cover him with blanket. Listening classical music helps to calm him.
This article related to my experience in sleeping issues.
*********************
Date First Published: April 2, 2007
Date Last Updated: October 30, 2008
Many individuals with an ASD have difficulty achieving normal sleep patterns. Whether they have trouble getting to sleep, wake numerous times during the night, or awaken very early and stay awake the rest of the day, sufficient sleep is definitely lacking. REM sleep patterns have been shown to be disturbed, and some individuals on the spectrum may even be suffering from an actual sleep disorder.
This can be a problem for the person with an ASD, as they have plenty to handle already without adding sleep deprivation to the list. Clearly, their unusual sleep pattern may also be a problem for family members whose own rest is disrupted. This is particularly true of parents of young children. Coping with their child with an ASD may be nearly impossible if parents are not only stressed, but constantly suffering from broken sleep.
This issue often overlaps with that of “rituals." (See Insistence on Sameness.) Bedtime routines can become exhausting. For example, children may demand a certain order of pre-bedtime events, that a parent lie down or stay in the room with them, that the entire household go to bed at the same time, or that all the blinds and curtains in the bedroom be positioned in a specific way. Non-compliance by family members can result in tantrums and an even more disrupted bedtime that impacts everyone in the household’s sleep and ability to cope the next day.
Source: IAN Community
