How to Help Your Autistic Child with Sleeping
By: Vanessa Blanchard
There are several reasons autistic children can struggle with sleeping. First, their nervous systems struggle with emotional regulation, meaning it can be challenging for them to calm down at night. Autistic kids are known to have frequent nightmares, which makes staying asleep difficult. Some kids struggle with sensory issues, like a lack of stimulation, at night as well.
Establish a Routine
Autistic children thrive with routines. Establishing a consistent routine before bed will help your child’s body regulate itself better.
Mindfulness for Kids
Mindfulness is a great tool for helping kids learn to fall and stay asleep. It can be challenging because traditional forms of meditation are hard for kids, especially kids who feel better fidgeting.
Luckily, there are many approaches one can take to mindfulness. Soothing sensory play, a playful bath, or cuddles are all valid approaches. Be creative and let their sensory needs guide you.
How to Address Sensory Needs
Make sure your child’s bedroom meets their sensory needs. Some kids need their rooms to be free of stimulation, others will struggle with the lack of sensory information. Night lights, relaxing sounds, weighted blankets, comfortable pajamas, and cuddle toys can be helpful. So can blank walls, white noise machines, and very few blankets or toys, depending on the child.
What to Do
Listen to your child. For example, it might seem like thunder sounds and nightlights would hurt their sleep, but it can be very helpful to children who struggle without that information to soothe them.
What Not to Do
Don’t forget that their nervous system will need help allowing them to sleep.
Don’t give up if your first attempts don’t work. Learning to sleep well is hard for any child, let alone one with sensory sensitivities and increased risks of nightmares.
About the writer
I’m a writer, artist, and advocate who loves living in Maine among the trees and oceanside villages. I’m also autistic, ADHD, and PTSD. My education, both academic and personal, has centered around mental health and neurodevelopmental disabilities, as well as discrimination and the socioeconomic consequences of living disabled in America. I work to plant seeds and spread ideas through my writing.
You can find me on Twitter @ladysnessa.