Helping Children With ADHD and Autism Get Better Sleep

My Story

Before I get into all the scientific mumbo jumbo, I want to give you a little insight about my son. His name is Bruce, I call him B for short, and he’s 8 right now. When he was 6, he was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism. What led me to bring him to the doctor was that he was incredibly hyperactive, he couldn’t focus, he wasn’t sleeping, he wasn’t eating right, and he was starting to have aggression issues. I called my doctor and made an appointment and she then referred me to a behavioral specialist.

I took B to the specialist and they did some tests on him over a course of some time. They came back with the ADHD and Autism diagnosis. Back just a few years ago, they had certain Autism diagnoses’. You either had autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not other specified, and Asperger’s, which was just about as bad as you could get. Today, it’s just called the spectrum. My son falls on the spectrum, somewhere in the mild area, but dealing with it is just as difficult as if he were to be in the severe area.

School is struggle for him every day. Currently, he takes Adderall for his ADHD. Unfortunately, there isn’t much he can take because he has a heart defect that interferes with certain medications. He was born with Tetralogy Of Fallot. It only occurs in about 5 out of every 10,000 babies. He has undergone 3 open heart surgeries and his doctors say that because of this, it is where his disorders came from. Anyway, due to this, there are only certain medications he can take, so treating these conditions are quite limited, which means helping him get to sleep is limited.

B doesn’t sleep and when he doesn’t sleep, his ADHD and Autism seem to get worse. He will binge eat, his aggression will get out of hand, he will beat me until I have bruises, he will beat up his siblings, punch holes in my walls, and he will break anything that he can get his hands on. I have tried almost everything to get him to settle down, but I have been unsuccessful, which is what led me to research different ways that most people wouldn’t think of. So, if you are having the same issues as me or want to prevent these issues from happening, keep reading.

What Causes Sleep Disorders

Children who have ADHD and Autism tend to suffer from sleep disorders for a number of theoretical reasons. I say theoretical because researchers aren’t completely sure as to why this happens. The first theory is based on social cues. Most “normal” people see the light turn to dark and they know it’s time to go to sleep because of our circadian rhythm. Most children may also see their siblings going to bed and know that it is their turn. Children who have autism, who also may have difficulty communicating, may have an issue understanding this cue or may fail to understand this cue altogether.

Another theory between autism and sleeping has to do with melatonin. This naturally occurring hormone helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. In order to make melatonin, your body needs an amino acid called tryptophan. In kids with autism, these levels are either higher or lower than normal. Studies have shown that in some children, they don’t release melatonin at the correct times of the day. Rather, they have higher levels during the day and lower levels at night.

Kids with ADHD have a lot more issues going on when it comes to sleeping. They have trouble with self-regulation. This can keep them from going from active mode to wind-down mode when it comes time for bed, they can’t stop thinking about things even when they are trying to sleep, and they experience restlessness that disturbs them or wakes them up.

The Effects Of Sleep Problems

The effects of sleep problems can vary. As I said before, when my son doesn’t sleep, he gets aggressive. Here are some things to look out for when your child isn’t sleeping:

• Aggression
• Depression
• Hyperactivity
• Irritability
• Low cognitive performance
• Poor learning
• Increased behavioral problems

Getting Them To Sleep

When a child has ADHD or Autism, it may be difficult to get them to sleep right. When they have both, it’s even worse, trust me on this one. A British research study showed that three times as many children with ADHD have a tough time falling asleep or staying asleep and 57% of their parents got less than 6 hours of sleep. More than half of these kids were up four times in the middle of the night and almost half of them were up before 6.00 a.m. Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it? It is. I don’t get much sleep because usually when my son is up in the middle of the night, he’s binge eating or trying obsessively looking for random things such as electronics or toys.

Getting them to sleep through the night may be tough when it comes down to it. Luckily, I did some digging and found quite a few ways that you can get your child to sleep without medicating them, because over-medicating your child just isn’t beneficial and it could even be considered abusive. So, here’s how you can get your child to sleep without medication.

 #1. Eat & Drink Right

Eating and drinking properly before bed can really help your child sleep throughout the night. Digestion can keep your child awake. If they insist on snacking, like my son constantly does, give them warm milk, cold turkey, or some saltines. These things have a chemical called tryptophan, which is a natural sleep-inducing chemical. There are plenty of other sleep-inducing foods and drinks that you can give your child before bed as well.

Your child also be drinking enough water during the day to prevent them from asking for a glass of water at bedtime, which will lead to a bathroom break later on. My son is notorious for this. He will ask for whatever drink he can get just so he doesn’t have to stay in bed and he will do it multiple times. He then has to get up over and over again to use the bathroom.

 #2. Get Plenty Of Exercise

Exercising is an important part of your child’s bedtime routine. You can have them jump rope, jog, ride a bike, walk, or even just send them outside to run around for a little while. When my son is getting too out of hand or wild, I send him outside to run off some of his energy. Physical activity helps our body transition between the phases of sleep. It also places stress on the body and increases the time a child spends in a deep sleep. I try to send my son out 2 hours before bedtime then I bring him in to take a warm shower, it seems to calm him right down. If you choose, you can also create an exercise routine for your child that includes easy things such as lunges, squats, burpees and other things to tire them out.

#3. Get Rid Of Night-time Distractions

If a child has ADHD and Autism, distractions are a huge deal. B is distracted by literally everything and he becomes obsessive over it. He has an iPod that he listens to, but if it isn’t charged, he wants something else and if I won’t give it to him, he will obsess about a tablet or old cell phone and then he becomes manic. If your child isn’t that bad and just gets distracted by small things such as a clock light, you can try to find one that only lights up when a button is pressed because even the smallest light can be disruptive.

Door Lights

Believe it or not, the smallest amount of light can be distracting to a child with such disorders. It’s best to turn their bed away from the bedroom door so that they aren’t disturbed by the light coming through it. If it isn’t possible, try putting a rolled up towel on the outside of the door so that they can’t see the light coming under it.

Window Lights

Here’s something that I’m having an issue with right now since the days are getting longer-lights coming in the windows at 8:30 p.m. My son sees this and doesn’t think it’s time for bed. The best way to approach this is to get some blackout curtains. These will reduce as much light as possible and trick their mind into thinking it’s actually dark outside. If this doesn’t work, consider a sleep mask.

Earplugs & Relaxing Music

If they are distracted by noises such as TV chatter, phone noises, dogs barking, or other small noises that they can’t control, let them use earplugs or listen to relaxing music. My son loves to listen to music when he’s trying to sleep, he says it relaxes him.

 #4. Create A Healthy Bedtime Routine

I know it seems like a tough thing to do, I’ve failed many times, but it can be done. Rituals that are done close to the evening can signal the brain and body that it is time to slow down. It can also provide a closeness with the caregiver that is comfortable, allowing those fearful children to sink into a peaceful sleep. Keep in mind, they will still need time to get their homework done, so give them at least an hour before bedtime to do so before having their slowdown time with you.

Tell Stories

Storytime is very popular in my house. I have to read to four children on a nightly basis usually. My girls want their stories and my boys want theirs. Since my son has a reading deficit, I have to read for him. He loves when I sit on the edge of his bed and read him a chapter or two a night from one of his favorite books. This is a great bonding time and it helps to get him settled in for the night.

Give Them Their Favorite Item

Does your child have a favorite stuffed animal, blanket, or toy? My son changes the item he cherishes on a weekly basis. One week it’s his stuffed turtle, the next, it’s his stuffed puppy. No matter what it is, I make sure he has it because it’s his comfort piece, no matter how silly it may seem.

 #5. Dress Them Comfortably

If your child has sensitivities to certain clothing due to sensory issues, you are going to want to pay close attention to this. Make sure you are dressing them in something that they are going to enjoy sleeping in. If they don’t like the way fleece feels on their legs, dress them in those track pants or something cotton-y. If they don’t like sleeves, dress them in something without sleeves or vice versa. It’s just a matter of figuring out what your child is most comfortable sleeping in. My son does not like to sleep in pajamas, he would rather sleep in his jeans-strange, I know.

Keep Them Cool

If the room is too hot, your child might not be comfortable. My son doesn’t like to be cold, so this doesn’t really apply to him. But if they are hot, dress them in moisture wicking clothing or cotton sleepwear. This will prevent them from sweating. You can put a fan or an air conditioner mixed with a dehumidifier in their room to keep it at a cool temperature and not so humid.

 #6. Help Them Relax

“B, relax!” It’s a phrase I say all of the time. I know you probably say it to your child too. It may seem out of reach for them to actually do it, but there are ways to help achieve this. You can start by giving them a foot rub, especially if they are very restless. You can also have them focus on their breathing by having them focus on an elevator going up and down. You can also encourage prayer if you are into that sort of thing as well. All of these can help them relax and ease their minds.

 #7. Cut The Electronics