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Need for sleep

NAS75556

Hi,

I'm the parent of an eight year old boy who is autistic and has ADHD. He has incredible difficulty getting to sleep and has never slept through the night. His paediatrician told me today that autistic children don't need as much sleep as neurotypical children. 

I'm aware that lots of autistic people struggle to sleep, but I wasn't aware that there was a difference in how much sleep is actually required. Is this accurate? Should I not be concerned about my son getting perhaps seven hours of broken sleep per night?

He's only recently diagnosed, so I'm still trying to find out all I can. Thanks ever so much.

Parents

  • Oh, dear, I'm sorry to hear your kid has a sleep problem. When my autistic daughter was 6, she struggled to fall asleep. She would also wake up repeatedly throughout the night. After consulting multiple pediatricians, I decided to establish a nighttime routine and change her pillow. I've been told numerous times that pillows that hold their shape allow kids to fall asleep easier and have a restful night. So, I did that. Besides, I would add some lavender oil on top of the pillowcase. All things combined helped improve my daughter's sleep. You should try to do the same for your kid.

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  • Oh, dear, I'm sorry to hear your kid has a sleep problem. When my autistic daughter was 6, she struggled to fall asleep. She would also wake up repeatedly throughout the night. After consulting multiple pediatricians, I decided to establish a nighttime routine and change her pillow. I've been told numerous times that pillows that hold their shape allow kids to fall asleep easier and have a restful night. So, I did that. Besides, I would add some lavender oil on top of the pillowcase. All things combined helped improve my daughter's sleep. You should try to do the same for your kid.

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