Sleeping Disorders for Children with Autism - Helping Autistic Children Get a Sound Sleep
What is Autism?
Autism can be defined as developmental neurobehavioral set of symptoms and is mainly characterized by restricted social communication, behavior, and interaction.
Autism Symptoms
The first visible signs of autism may become prominent during infancy. Doctors are usually able to diagnose autism symptoms when the child is merely three years old. It has also been seen that sometimes a child normally progresses till the second year of life and then his/her development is restricted by visible autism symptoms. More than often the child experiences abnormal reactions like underactive or overactive senses. Sometimes situations may get extraordinarily unpleasant, for instance, causing inconsolable crying on hearing motorcycle sounds.
Sleeping Problems in Autistic Children
Abnormal sleeping habits are a problem posing a serious threat for autistic children and their family members. These habits can create havoc in the lives of those who are parents to an autistic child and a non-autistic child simultaneously. Often it is seen that they have to keep themselves awake till late night because of the sleeping problems of their autistic child, and then wake up early morning along with the other children who are living a pretty normal lifestyle. More than often autistic children sleep after a period of acute difficulty and also go through inconsistent sleep routines. Restlessness also bothers some children while others develop the habit of waking up early.
What Causes Sleeping Disorders for Autistic Children?
It is a matter that is undergoing a lot of research. Doctors and researchers simply fail to understand the reason as to what causes sleeping disorders in autistic children. Some hold social cues responsible for this. As autistic children fail to communicate effectively with their siblings, they often misinterpret and terribly fail to understand the importance of social cues. Some others believe that sleeping disorders in autistic children may simply occur due to the abnormalities developed with the melatonin hormone that is usually responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles. Yet, another reason can be attributed to oversensitivity to external stimuli, like touch or sound. Also, restlessness of autistic children makes them wake up at odd hours at the slightest sound. Last, but not least, anxiety is another cause and can be held responsible for sleeping disorders in autistic children.
After-Effects of Sleeping Disorders in Autistic Children
Sleeping disorders for autistic children often have adverse affects on their lives. They develop some abnormal characteristics, like depression, aggression, irritability, hyperactivity, cognitive performance, poor learning, increased behavioral problems, which may completely ruin their future prospects.
Helping Autistic Children Sleep
Though quite a challenging job, parents are advised to strictly follow this routine to help their autistic children enjoy sound sleep:
- It is always advisable to set a bedtime and try to stick to it as closely as possible. This makes the child feels responsible and s/he may actually start showing consistent behavioral patterns.
- Parents of autistic children are required to display high levels of activeness and can make up their children’s bedroom as appealing as possible. Some children may show a liking towards a dimly lighted environment while others may prefer a darker one.
- Parents may as well use layers for the pajamas or night suits of their children in order to minimize any kind of sensitive reaction.
Conclusion
Observing sleeping patterns in autistic child and identifying the cause of the sleeping disorder can benefit both the parent and the children to overcome such abnormalities. Many instances stand testimony to the fact where the autistic children actually recovered when their parents took drastic measures to help their children enjoy a sound sleep.