Son not sleeping - Autism Spectrum Message Board

QuirkyMotherOf2 · 10-04-2004, 09:58 PM

We keep a consistent bedtime with my son, he has a story, he gets his blankie and a drink. However, he always opens his door. We have an hour of him getting up and putting him back to bed. I don't know what to do. Anyone have any suggestions?

ang64063 · 10-05-2004, 07:23 AM

We just had the opposite thing happen with my daughter. She would go to sleep but would wake up about 2-3 hours before she was suppose to.

What I would suggest is this: Try this one first give a bath in Epsom Salts. Start out with 1/2 cup in very warm water. If your child tollerates it well, you can up it to 3/4 and so on until you reach 2 cups. What this does is it brings a lot of toxins to the skin's surface. When the water cools, the toxins leave the body. I would suggest you try and get him to soak for at least 20 minutes.

If that does not work you can try Melatonin or Valerian Root.

If that does not work you can do what I did last night. About an hour or so before bedtime, feed him 2 servings of oatmeal, a small glass of regular milk, 2 multi digestive enzymes from GNC and a Valerian Root Capsule. My daughter ate this and she was sound asleep within 45 minutes (15 minutes before bedtime) and she stayed in bed.

If you have a problem with him getting up and you not hearing him, you can try mounting one of those First Alert Door Alarms (the ones they advertise on TV) to the top of the bedroom door and put it on "chime". What this does is it alerts you to when the door is opening, so you don't have to worry about finding him playing in stuff that could hurt him. If you do this, I would suggest that you remove anything that he can move and climb up on to get to the alarm and shut it off.

lilmermaid · 10-12-2004, 08:48 AM

I second the Melatonin suggestion. We used it occasionally on our son, when he's so wound up we know he won't go to sleep. Our pediatrician recommended it, and from all the reading I've done about it, there are no worrisome side effects.

Regarding the "opening the door". My son used to always be able to go to sleep with his bedroom door closed. But just in the last year or so, he has wanted his bedroom door open when he goes to bed. So, we leave it open, and he was more willing to stay in his bed then. I think it was a nighttime fear, of some sort.

I hope it starts getting better for you!

Lisa in Indiana · 10-14-2004, 07:54 PM

I just wanted to add that you can also add 3-4 drops of lavender oil into the bath water along with the Epsom's. It has a soothing and calming affect.
This was recommended by our DAN! doctor.

blessedmom · 11-27-2004, 07:59 PM

If he is afraid, you might want to try putting a gate in front of his door so the door can be left open but he can't get out so you will be able to sleep peacefully without wondering if he is roaming the house and getting hurt on something.