Aspergers/ASD support thread

Snaggles

We did try blackout blinds, but they didn't help (thanks for the suggestion though). Once he's asleep, you could parade a brass band through his room and he wouldn't stir, it's just getting his over-stimulated brain to switch off at night that's the problem. He is always awake until after we go to bed, and shouts down/gets up/makes a lot of noise......so not much relaxation or sleep going on in our house at the moment!

The baby waking up at 6am every day doesn't help either...lol.

Sleep is over-rated, that's my motto.

Sorry you are having such a long wait to get a diagnosis - you will get there in the end. It took us about 18 months, maybe 2 years I think, which actually seems to be quite good having read other peoples' stories.

Savvy_Sue

have you tried relaxation tapes for him, snaggles? I don't know if they'd work or not, but if you can find something which helps his brain switch off it may help!

Js_Other_Half

When DS was really small we were given a cd with music with a slow hearbeat rhythm to it - it knocked me out, never mind DS. Is this something you could try? The iteddy is probably a reasonably safe way of letting him have an mp3 player?

Snaggles

Thank you both - we've tried a relaxation CD and various different styles of music, and he liked them to start with (although they didn't send him to sleep), but now he refuses to have music on.

I'm a terrible insomniac too though, so he's no chance, bless him!

Sarahsaver

My DS gets up less in the night as he has got older, roughly like this :now it's once some nights a week, ansd each year previous he has got up more, i.e. twice a night a year a go, 3 times the year before and so on.
i tried everything reward charts, lavender, sleeping meds, blackout blinds and so on.
i came to the conclusion he just is how he is. only time has eased things in our case, hope the rest of you have it easier!
He used to be so determined to keep himself awake he fell asleep standing on his head once!

Savvy_Sue

Sarahsaver wrote: »

He used to be so determined to keep himself awake he fell asleep standing on his head once!

:rotfl: That's even worse than DS1 used to be with his daytime naps - once he could pull himself into a standing position, he used to haul himself upright in his cot, scream the place down, fall asleep standing up, fall over, bang his head on the cot, wake himself up and haul himself upright again ...

OK, snaggles, so he doesn't want music, would he listen to story tapes? Would that help? Or even Radio 4? I can assure you it's very soporific after midnight ...

(I know his problems are completely different, but even DH swears by Radio 4 these days: when he wakes up in the night, he gets up to sort himself out, then comes back to bed and switches radio on, very low volume. He says that just takes the edge off his thoughts, distracts him enough from being fed up about being awake.)

Snaggles

No, I've tried those too (god, I sound very negative don't I? I do really appreciate the suggestions!). He liked Classic FM for a little while, but then he started getting upset at anything in a minor key because he said it sounded so sad. :A

He will sit in bed and read, but it doesn't help him get to sleep.

Lainie75

my son is 15 this month and have never found anything to help him get to sleep he has adhd and learning diffculties he has always fought his sleep and the problem has got worse the older he has gotten he now can go 48hrs without sleeping and he house wanders which scares me so hence i dont sleep much either , i have tryed medication , music , books and talking books etc but no help most nights hes awake till bewteen 3am - 6am plays havoc with school and life in general i get a break now and than whens his body physically has to go to sleep this normally happens one a week roughly.

Sarahsaver

He may not want to try this but yoga and meditation work wonders.I practise Bikram Yoga and it would make anyone sleep like a log afterwards!
My yoga school did a series of classes for 'difficult' teenage lads and they really benefitted from it.
Trouble is the more you think about it the more of a problem it gets. 48hrs with no sleep is bad for you and that sounds like more than just not being able to sleep, IYSWIM.

fallen_angel_69

i found with dd2 leaving her tv on in her bedroom works ok with her taking melatonin but she is still up at 4.30 every day no matter how late she's up it's me who is always shattered blackout blinds don't make any difference at all when she wakes up that is it she has to get up and can't be persuaded otherwise