It is estimated that between 50% to 80% of children with ASD have poor sleep and we certainly see a lot of sleep issues in clinic. There are many factors that can contribute to disrupted sleep including environmental, medical and nutritional influences.
Sleep disturbance has been shown to impact concentration, mood, memory recall, and sensory processing systems so when sleep is improved, we see an improvement is all of these common issues as well.
How to support good sleep
Check medical issues first If your child has very poor sleep, be sure to have them seen by your medical team so they can be properly assessed and medical issues ruled out first.
Some medical conditions that can interfere with sleep are:
- Seizures
More than 20% can occur during sleep in children who have seizures so it's important seizures are controlled as much as possible.
- Silent reflux
If you notice bits of food in the stool regularly or lots of burping after meals and your child is not thriving physically then consider this as something to flag to your medical team.
- Obstructive sleep apnea
If your child snores loudly or gasps for air at night, they may have sleep apnea. Discuss with your GP and be sure to ask if they can check your child's iron levels. There is a strong link between sleep apnea and low iron levels.
Even if the child has a medical condition that hinders sleep, the areas below should still be addressed for optimal sleep.
Environment Your child's room should be dark, comfortable, quiet and cool for a good night's sleep. Studies show even a little light can block the sleep hormone melatonin so make sure the room is as dark as possible. If your child needs a night light, be sure to get a sleep-friendly amber night light with zero blue light.
Screens The harmful effect of blue light from screens on sleep can not be overstated and may be the main 'sleep stealer' for your child. Coming off all screens at least one hour before bedtime, but preferably two, is essential. Use audio books, quiet reading time, puzzles, or a nice bath to fill in the time before bed instead of screens.
Timing Be sure to check what the age-appropriate bedtime for your child is as putting them to bed too late can disrupt a whole night's sleep. Sticking to the right schedule is important to normalise the circadian rhythms and get a full night's sleep.
Exercise Ensuring adequate daily exercise has been shown to not only to help children fall asleep more easily but also improves deeper sleep. Just be sure they don't exercise too close to bedtime as this can actually 'wake up' the body and delay sleep.
Naps Some children have outgrown naps but continue to have them which may have a knock-on effect on their nighttime sleep. Is your child ready to stop daytime naps?
The impact of food on sleep
There are many foods that can affect sleep and you can read about them in detail in the article I wrote for Autism Eye here.
One thing you can address now is your child's blood sugar levels. Balance is key as low blood sugar can cause your child to wake up during the night. We have a good 'fat bomb' recipe below as a bedtime snack to help with this.
The other areas I talk about are:
- Food intolerances
- Histamine levels
- Phenol sensitivity
- Glutamate
Please read the blog to learn more or ask your healthcare provider to assess these issues with you.
Supplements for sleep
If you've addressed all of the above and are still having difficulty getting your child to have quality sleep, there are some supplements to help support specific areas of our brain that control sleep.
Using supplements like Tryptophan, 5-HTP, vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium, and Vitamin C, have all been shown to support serotonin and our sleep hormone melatonin. If your child is anxious, irritable, and prone to OCD and aggression, then they may need a bit of extra support here.
Taurine is an amino acid, good at calming down the nervous system and helping promote sleep. Those following a vegetarian diet and those prone to constipation or pale/yellow/orange stools may benefit with supplementation.
I've also listed a new herbal tincture below that we've started to use in clinic and is designed especially for children so is safe and easy to use.
As always, check with your health professional before giving any supplements to your child.
|