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Sleep or LACK OFF..!!

Mayhem

I have Four boys, Three on the Spectrum.

Each Child is prescribed Melatonin(3mgs-9mgs)

Our sons go to bed at 6:00/7:00pm every night but are, without failure awake every morning at 3/5am. We have tried putting them to bed much later, sometimes upto Midnight, to break this routine they're all in, but without fail they awake at the same time.

After many days of tears, tiredness and utter mayhem, we are so tired we have to revert back to the 6-7pm bedtime, to ensure they have some decent sleep and are more settled in the day, especially at School!

When they wake, we can't leave them unattended, even thou' we have most doors downstairs locked (One son is Harry Houdini!) the bathroom often suffers loo roll assults and toothpaste is eaten like icecream!

 

Is there ANY form of medication, or a magical learnt cure to allow them to be awake later in the evening, but wake at a more 'Mum and Dad' Social time IE anything after 6am, or is this a common issue and will Coffee be forever my Best Friend!

Parents

  • Hi Mayhem

    I'm not sure that I have any great advice but just wanted to sympathise.  My son is 6 and has Aspergers.  He has some of the same difficulties in that he goes to bed around 7-7.30pm and regularly wakes between 3-5am.  He shares a bedroom with his brother who is 4 who amazingly sleeps through his loud talking.  He used to want to go downstairs at that time or come through and start talking about aeroplanes or whatever his interest is at the time.  More recently though, we have got him a projector clock and have told him that the rules are that he can't get out of bed before 7am.  We also got him a bunk bed light that wont disturb his brother but means he can read his books if need be.  I've always felt guilty that he is awake for so long in the night without company but I think he likes it in a way, it's his undisturbed time.  I'm always aware that he is awake though.  He adheres to the new rules now very rigidly and says 'Morning' at 7.01am every day before dashing downstairs.  His waking is definately earlier and prolonged if he is stressed about something, he isnt just quietly reading then, he rants to himself.  He is only now starting to go back to sleep sometimes if he wakes 3-5am, he can sometimes nod off again until 7 (woohoo!).  I haven't requested Melatonin for him as yet.  My other son is the complete opposite, would sleep until 10am no problem if left to have a lie in lol.  Hope this is helpful in some way.  Thanks for sharing :-)

Reply

  • Hi Mayhem

    I'm not sure that I have any great advice but just wanted to sympathise.  My son is 6 and has Aspergers.  He has some of the same difficulties in that he goes to bed around 7-7.30pm and regularly wakes between 3-5am.  He shares a bedroom with his brother who is 4 who amazingly sleeps through his loud talking.  He used to want to go downstairs at that time or come through and start talking about aeroplanes or whatever his interest is at the time.  More recently though, we have got him a projector clock and have told him that the rules are that he can't get out of bed before 7am.  We also got him a bunk bed light that wont disturb his brother but means he can read his books if need be.  I've always felt guilty that he is awake for so long in the night without company but I think he likes it in a way, it's his undisturbed time.  I'm always aware that he is awake though.  He adheres to the new rules now very rigidly and says 'Morning' at 7.01am every day before dashing downstairs.  His waking is definately earlier and prolonged if he is stressed about something, he isnt just quietly reading then, he rants to himself.  He is only now starting to go back to sleep sometimes if he wakes 3-5am, he can sometimes nod off again until 7 (woohoo!).  I haven't requested Melatonin for him as yet.  My other son is the complete opposite, would sleep until 10am no problem if left to have a lie in lol.  Hope this is helpful in some way.  Thanks for sharing :-)

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