Published on 12, July, 2020
I wonder if anyone can help. I have started to notice that when my 17 year old daughter has a significant meltdown (diagnosed ASD) at the point where she manages to calm down I will see her eyes start to roll and within seconds she will be in a deep sleep snoring and head falling forward. It is difficult to explain, the meltdown stops, in seconds she is snoring. Is this a common behaviour following meltdowns? Is this autistic exhaustion or something else?
I will reiterate what others have said, melt downs are exhausting and take a lot out of you both physically and emotionally, but taking what you’ve described very literally, it almost sounds similar to narcolepsy. I am not a professional nor an expert, but to me, that seems like a very extreme reaction. Does she exhibit any other sleep related issues?
Hi, no not really. Her sleep has never been great as a child she would wake in the middle of the night and her anxiety would build until she had a meltdown and would then sleep, this would often go on for about 3 hours each night. She has now outgrown that, but still has fitful sleep. But in the daytime she doesn't fall asleep etc.. unless she has a very large meltdown and then it is as described.
Fair enough, like I say, I’m not an expert, so as long as it’s not causing her to fall asleep in a situation that could cause harm, I wouldn’t be concerned. It probably is just exhaustion from the melt down.