Myth Busting - Does my autistic child need as much sleep?

Have you ever thought or heard “I just think my child just doesn’t need as much sleep”… I hear this all the time with families I work with, especially if their child is autistic.

The simple answer is YES - They do need the same amount of sleep as their peers, autistic or not. The difference is that over 80% of autistic children struggle with sleep, whether it be multiple waking nights, struggling to fall asleep or anxiety around going to bed (to mention just a few). There always seems to be reasons for your child to have awful sleep. The great news is that you child CAN SLEEP BETTER. They really can! Unfortunately, books and the internet only give generic sleep advice. This sleep advice won’t consider any autistic traits, sensory needs, processing skills, anxiety levels, melatonin levels, circadian rhythm disorders - all which are very common for our autistic children. This is why traditional sleep methods won’t work. The key is to look at how your child responds to situations, find ways in order to reduce anxiety daily, lower demand around bed time and figure out how to meet you child’s needs successfully. Easier said than done, I know! It’s so hard when your in it all and sleep deprived, stressed and worried.

Help is here though! Do some research around autism generally (if you haven’t already), ask questions and seek support and help.

FYI- Make sure the information you get is reliable and official. Remember opinion is not fact and you want to use scientific evidence behind sleep in order to get the right advice. Here at VC Sleep Consultancy, we always use current research, scientific evidence and up to date knowledge before creating the bespoke sleep plan and guidance you child needs.

For bespoke sleep advice for you child - with or without a diagnosis, then get in touch today. Sleep can and will get better with the right support!

How much sleep do children need? It’s important to remember each child is different BUT there is a recommended amount of sleep so your child has healthy development. Your child might be slightly over or under the recommended amount, and that’s totally fine. No need to panic. Its perfectly healthy.

There can be multiple reasons for a child to not sleep through the night. The reasons and solutions to this will depending on whether they have never slept through or whether they suddenly have stopped sleeping through. Getting to the route of the sleep problem is key and will allow your child to overcome the sleep battles they face each evening.

How autism affects sleep in children should be taken into consideration when finding the right sleep solutions for your child. This is often part of the reason to why traditional sleep methods don’t work for many autistic children.

Although this may seem a simple question, the answers and solutions you are searching for can be complex and confusing. There are so many conflicting articles, opinions and leaflets out there, no wonder we are all in a whirlwind of trial and error and lack of success.