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Single working mother with 4 year old son with autism who won't sleep help!

sarah south shields

Hi I'm new to this site my son who is 4 and a half was diagnosed with autism last year, he is high functioning and clever as well as having social problems and major obsessions etc. I'm looking for some advice with regards to him sleeping on a night time, he takes about 2 and a half hours to get to sleep and i have to put him to bed at about 6pm for him to get to sleep at around8:30/9. I have tried everything, he no longer has a tv in his room, I've tried putting him to bed later but this just means he goes to sleep later. He constantly gets out of bed he can't sit still or more than 2 minutes and its a fight to get him to sleep pretty much every night. I don't know what to do ive read up about melatonin would this help? I didn't want to go down the medication route but I feel desperate at the moment! Any help would be much appreciated thankyou x

Parents

  • hi thanks for your reply, he does usually sleep through once he is asleep. i think he does have a very overactive mind and i think this is what is stopping him from getting to sleep, even if i lie with him for a bit he is constantly figiting. he is content in his bedroom and has slept in the same room on his own from being 2, the problems started when i took his dummy away although he never asked for it he just will not go to sleep. i could try to tire him out more, but even on days when we have had a good day out he still will not go to sleep. he has the same routine every night, tea at half 4, bath at 6 then bed at 6:30, it is hard to try and sit down and talk to him and ask him why he is unable to sleep because he just goes off on another topic of whatever he is thinking about at the time! i just dont know what else to try, i do feel he gets enough asleep it would just be nice if i could put him to bed that bit later and not have the 2 and a half fight every night to get him to sleep which is why i was thinking about trying the melatonin to see if this helped x

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  • hi thanks for your reply, he does usually sleep through once he is asleep. i think he does have a very overactive mind and i think this is what is stopping him from getting to sleep, even if i lie with him for a bit he is constantly figiting. he is content in his bedroom and has slept in the same room on his own from being 2, the problems started when i took his dummy away although he never asked for it he just will not go to sleep. i could try to tire him out more, but even on days when we have had a good day out he still will not go to sleep. he has the same routine every night, tea at half 4, bath at 6 then bed at 6:30, it is hard to try and sit down and talk to him and ask him why he is unable to sleep because he just goes off on another topic of whatever he is thinking about at the time! i just dont know what else to try, i do feel he gets enough asleep it would just be nice if i could put him to bed that bit later and not have the 2 and a half fight every night to get him to sleep which is why i was thinking about trying the melatonin to see if this helped x

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