Is your child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) having trouble sleeping well? Let's talk about this!

Is your child not sleeping well at night? Does he stay up late at night? Or does he wake up little by little? This is a problem that many of you, as parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), face. These sleep problems in your child affect not only the child, but also the entire family. You probably know very well how difficult it is to go to work or do household chores the next day after not sleeping well at night. So today, let's talk about these sleep problems and what we can do about them.

Why do autistic children have sleep problems?

It's hard to pinpoint a single reason for this, but researchers have found several possible causes.

1. Difficulty understanding social cues:

Think about it simply. We don't just get sleepy at night because the sky gets dark. When we see other people in the house getting ready to sleep, when we turn off the lights, our brain gets a signal that says, "Okay, now is the time for bed." We call these social cues. But children with autism may have a hard time understanding these social cues. So they may not realize that it's time for bed.

2. Changes in hormones:

There is a key hormone in our body that controls sleep. It is called Melatonin . Normally, when it gets dark at night, our body produces more melatonin. This makes us sleepy. When it gets light in the morning, the production of this hormone decreases, and we wake up. This is what we call the sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythms.

But in some autistic children, this process is a little different. It has been found that their bodies have differences in the levels of tryptophan , an amino acid that is needed to produce melatonin. Therefore, their melatonin hormone may be produced less at night and more during the day . Then they can't sleep at night.

3. Increased Sensitivity:

Is your child very sensitive to even the slightest sound or light? Does your child startle you when you open the door or make the bed? Many autistic children are very sensitive to external stimuli such as sound, touch, and light. Even a small noise that a normal child would not notice can disrupt their sleep.

4. Anxiety :

Anxiety, which is an unnecessary fear or nervousness, also has a big impact on sleep. Children with autism are more likely to experience anxiety than typical children. This restlessness makes it difficult for them to close their eyes and fall asleep peacefully.

What happens when you don't get enough sleep?

Good sleep is essential for both the body and the mind. Lack of sleep can have a big impact on your child's behavior. It can also have a big impact on you as a parent.

See the table below to see how lack of sleep affects children.

How to help your child sleep well?

Giving your child sleeping pills should be considered a last resort . Before that, there are some very simple, but very helpful things we can do.

• Stop giving stimulants before bed: Completely stop giving sugar, chocolate , coffee, tea, and cola a few hours before bedtime. These can keep your child awake longer.

• Establish a Bedtime Routine: This is the most important thing. Establish a routine that you do at the same time every day. For example, wash your body at 8 pm, get dressed at 8:15 pm, read a book until 8:30 pm, and then turn off the lights and put your child to sleep. When you do the same thing every day in the same order, your child's brain gets used to it. The child automatically understands, "Okay, now is the time for bed."

• Calm your child: Do something calming before bed. This could be reading a book, giving a gentle back massage, or playing very calming music.

• Stay away from screens: Turn off all electronic devices like TV, computer, phone, and video games at least an hour before bed. Blue light reduces the production of the hormone melatonin, which makes it harder to fall asleep.

• Minimize distractions in the room:
• Light: Use heavy curtains to block out light from entering the room.
• Noise: If the doors in the room are noisy, put some oil on them to reduce the noise. If possible, put down a thick carpet.
• Temperature and bedding: Keep your baby's room temperature comfortable for them. Some babies like a weighted blanket, others like a light one. Choose what suits their sensitivity.

• Seek medical advice: If your child is still having trouble sleeping despite all of this, definitely talk to your doctor.
• Sleep Diary: Before you go to see the doctor, keep a sleep diary for about a week. Write down everything you know about your child's sleep habits, including when they go to bed, when they wake up, how many times they wake up at night, whether they snore, whether there are any changes in their breathing patterns, and how they behave the next day. This will help the doctor understand your child's condition.
• Melatonin supplements: Only on the advice of a doctor , a melatonin supplement may be recommended for your child. This helps regulate the sleep cycle. Never give your child any medication or supplement without first consulting a doctor.
• Bright-light therapy: This is also done on medical advice. Exposing your child to bright light in the morning can help keep them awake during the day and help them produce melatonin at night.

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