Re: OT -- Puzzling bedtime behavior

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I would look at it as a good sign. My daughter became much

more emotionally aware after being on the diet. She was always

hard to get to sleep, but she became more clingy at night. I did

feel it was a goood thing, and took advantage of it - more

cuddling, stories, even a few language drills in bed. She was so

receptive at that time of day (night!). I don't know what I'd do if I

had a NT child, but personally I don't think autistic children

should be left on their own to " cry it out " - I think we have to

emphasize for them the importance of " normal " comforting

things - like having Mommy or Daddy around. (Just my opinion.)

Kathy

[Guest guest]

Hi, ,

My son was like this most of his life. Only since going gfcf has he

felt safe and secure on his own at night. But when things get

stressful, he clings again. I was always under pressure to " make him

cry it out " , but I quickly learned that doing so only increased his

anxiety and his autistic behavior. A psychologist who works with

aspergers & hfa people and their families pointed out that they live

with high daily levels of anxiety and stress, so we should do what we

can to reduce it. And if that means sharing a bedroom, so what.

Nowadays, he knows that most kids his age aren't scared to be alone

and don't run to their moms. So when my son is anxious and needs to

cling, we have " campouts " in the livingroom - air mattress & sleeping

bags on the floor, maybe cuddle & watch a favorite show together,

even eat a campout-like meal by the light of a lantern while sitting

crossed legged on our sleeping bags. I feel fortunate that he sees

me as a safe haven in a strange world.

> Hi folks:

>

> I'm hoping somebody can shed some light on a new behavior my 4.5-

year-old

> son has been showing the last two nights.

>

> Normally, he has no trouble whatsoever going to bed and getting

right to

> sleep (his problem has been either waking during the night or

waking very

> early in the morning.) He gets his pacifier, his blanket and his

special

> bear, curls up and is asleep in a matter of minutes. He's done this

since he

> was very young -- say three months old or so.

>

> Last night, my husband took him up to his room -- did nothing

different --

> and our son started to cry when hubby left the room. After several

minutes

> of guessing what was going on (his language is very limited at this

point),

> we figured out that he wanted someone to lay in bed with him,

holding him

> very tightly. Once he was asleep he was fine; he slept all night

and later

> in the morning than usual.

>

> Tonight was more of the same. He was fine as long as I lay in bed

with him,

> but became distraught if I moved to get up.

>

> I'm a bit baffled about this. He's always been so easy to go to

bed that

> we've taken it for granted. Now I'm wondering -- could this

actually be a

> GOOD thing -- is he finally showing age-appropriate separation

anxiety, or

> fear of the dark? Is he afraid to go to sleep?

>

> As far as I know (and he's home all day with me) we've had no slip-

ups in

> the diet lately.

>

> What do you all think I should do? My husband is afraid he will

become too

> used to having someone lay with him and won't be able to go to

sleep by

> himself -- he favors letting him " cry it out. "

>

> Personally I don't think there's any way that will work, plus how

can I

> deny my autistic son when all he wants is for me to be with him???

Isn't

> that what we wanted from this diet anyway?

>

> Anyone with advice or a similar situation, I'd love to hear it!

>

> <--mom of Hannah, 6 and Asperger's Syndrome, and Collin,

4.5 and

> autism.

[Guest guest]

,

(3.5 asd) gets up almost every night. However, when we travel,

he always sleeps with me. He keeps some part of his body in contact with

mine. Even if it's just his foot. As long as he can do that he'll sleep

through the night. We have not allowed him into our bed at home. We

purchased Dr. Ferber's book and put him on clonidine. We're definitely not

there yet, but I think we may be seeing some improvement.

I think it's just comforting to a child who's not quite sure about his

environment to have his mommy or daddy with him.

in Ohio

[Guest guest]

It was suggested to me to try a weighted blanket for my son at bedtime. I

am going to borrow one and see how it works. It can't hurt.

[Guest guest]

It was suggested to me to try a weighted blanket for my son at bedtime. I

am going to borrow one and see how it works. It can't hurt.

[Guest guest]

Maybe he had a nightmare and it changed the way he feels about going to

bed. My son is almost 6. He always went to sleep just fine but got up

in the middle of the night and/or early in the morning (before us). Now

he either grabs one of us in a headlock and begs us to " snuggle " him

until he goes to sleep, or he goes right to sleep then gets up real early

and climbs in bed with us.

This type of behavior I think is good because it seems typical in kids

his age. His twin sister and 3 yr old sister both play the " lay down

until I fall asleep, pleeeeeease don't leave me " routine every night. It

takes us 2 hours to get those darn kids to sleep every night.

I have to admit though, I never could deny my son a snuggle - never.

Charlene