Behaviour Consultant
Sleep problems are a common concern for parents of all children. In fact, up to 50% of neurotypical children experience sleep difficulties, such as resistance to going to bed, waking often or for long periods overnight, or difficulty waking in the morning.1
However, these sleep concerns are experienced by up to 80% of Autistic children.2
Resolving sleep difficulties is important, as sleep is a critical component of our health and quality of life. Amongst Autistic children, research indicates that poor sleep is associated with significant behavioural impacts, such as higher aggression, inattention and risky behaviour.3
Poor sleep not only impacts the child, but can also impact the whole family. In fact, parents of neurodivergent children report poorer sleep than parents of neurotypical children.4 Improving sleep can not only benefit the child, but the rest of the household as well!
Although poor sleep is common amongst neurodivergent children, healthy sleep is achievable! Here are 3 steps that parents of Autistic children can take to support their child with sleep:
Disclaimer: The advice in this article is general in nature. If your child experiences sleep difficulties, reach out to a trusted professional for further individualised advice and support.
Resources:
Super Kids acknowledges each individual’s personal preference to use identity-first or person-first language to describe themselves or their loved one. We interchangeably use both language conventions and therefore refer to both autistic children and children with autism.