Getting A Better Night's Sleep And Autism

Folks with youngsters on the autism spectrum often are frazzled by unpredictable sleep patters. Routinely, these youngsters are up at all hours going to bed late in the evening and often are up throughout the night. The result of this haphazard sleeping produces parents who are troubled and irritated from sleep deprivation and can also heighten the child's sensitivities where the child has sensitivities to noise, to touch, tenancies to become distracted easily these consequently are aggravated. It becomes a tortuous cycle for both parent and child. Below are some proposals as offered by our support community to help your child -- and you -- improve and more restful sleep : 1 ) Provide activity in the waking hours : Has your son or daughter been physically active enough during the daytime? Providing the opportunity for vigorous activity during the waking hours not only helps offer a natural chemical balance within the body thru the release of endorphins, but also helps healthy exhaustion helpful in inducing sleep. This vigorous activity should be 2-3 hours prior to the planned bedtime. 2 ) Decaffeinate and curb sugary foods : Is your youngster having caffeinated drinks or sweets in the evening? If this is the case try eliminating these or at a minimum keep them in the earlier part of the day. If you serve them, keep deserts for dinner to more natural sugars such as fruits. Proteins are also recommended for the evening meal rather than high starch foods ; try to avoid additives like MSG too. 3 ) Try melatonin : Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by animals and people. Most frequently utilized by adults for jet lag, melatonin supplements help adjust the circadian clock to environmental cycles and is commonly used to regulate the sleeping patterns of many children with ASD and ADHD as they frequently don't appear to produce enough naturally for themselves. While not an FDA-approved drug, it is available in most health food stores and is often endorsed by naturopaths. 4 ) Wind down the noise : Calming down the environment in the household can also help transition to child to bed. An hour before bedtime, try closing down some of the stimulation that excites : turn of the TV and computer games, put on some calming music or no music at all. Turn off some of the lights signal that a time for rest is coming. 5 ) Give a warm bath : They're not only for Saturday nights nowadays. Try making a warm tub part of the pre-bedtime routine. This too can have a relaxing effect. 6 ) Create a routine and stick to it : Taking heaps of naps in the daytime? While a quick controlled sleep (20 mins or thereabouts though not longer) is okay, try to limit longer naps and napping close to bed time. Build a routine using the aforementioned methods, set a regular bedtime and then stick to it. This helps set an expectancy and regularity that children in general, and those with ASD particularly, can find comforting. By: Brian Field1 Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com If you've other suggestions as to how to build sound sleeping routines, please post yours here as well. Sleep well! Brian Field is the co-founder of the Autism Support Network, a free global online community - with members from over 212 countries - connecting families and individuals touched by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with each other, providing support and insight, and serving as a resource guide for treatments, strategies and therapies.

Dealing With Embarrassing Situations As a Parent of a Child With Autism

Every once in a while parents are embarrassed by their child's behavior or the factual remarks they make, such as pointing to a person next to you in line and claiming, "she's fat!" Moments like this can be very uncomfortable but fortunately do not occur often, but the risk may be higher if you are a parent of a child with Autism.

All children eventually learn how to regulate their behavior and speech but children on the Autism spectrum tend to be slower at acquiring this skill. Children with autism experience the same world we live in but in a dramatically different way and they are limited in their ability to read social situations.

Most children with autism don't even realize that their behaviors are socially unacceptable. Some of these behaviors may include:

1. inappropriate touching or invading another's space,

2. handflapping, spinning or stimming

3. fascinations with particular objects,

4. extreme displays of affection or the exact opposite.

Some children respond aggressively when least expected and many have sensory issues that produce bizarre reactions to food textures, tastes, light, sound and smells.

Therefore, as a parent of a child on the Autism spectrum the possibility of having your child commit a social 'faux pas' in public is high. Unfortunately, until we are able create more awareness about Autism and minimize the judgmental reactions of others, parents will have to continue to deal with some embarrassing situations deemed 'socially inappropriate' by onlookers.

Eventually, you may develop a protective armor from the piercing looks of disgruntled strangers that just don't understand but what can you do in the meantime?

Finding ways to minimize or prevent the number of embarrassing incidents you might have to endure is one option. Here are some strategies to consider that might help.

• Remember, you are your child's best teacher. Your child may be receiving therapies that work on building appropriate social skills but you are with your child 24/7. Don't overlook potentially embarrassing actions and address them as they occur by telling and showing your child what to do instead, how to do it and when.

• Appeal to the way your child's brain works best. Most children on the Autism spectrum are very visual so use pictures, photos, lists or video modeling to communicate with your child. Some may respond better to auditory input, so make a recording for your child with step-by-step instructions for them to listen to. Others may need to be physically manipulated by taking their hand and demonstrating just how much pressure to apply to petting an animal or touching people.

• Be persistent. Constant repetition and reinforcement will eventually work to instill more suitable behaviors in your child. It typically takes twenty-one repetitions of an action before a new behavior becomes a habit but a brain that is wired differently may take more time - so start early, practice often, practice some more and have patience.

• Use distraction. Plan ahead when going out in public and bring a bag of tricks with you to divert your child's attention when your gut begins sending you a warning that something potentially unacceptable might occur. Fill a backpack with stress relievers and favorite items that will quickly catch your child's interest.

• Give people information. If all else fails, be prepared with a short statement to say to others that will enlighten them. Some parents carry around cards that explain their child's behavior and may even provide suggestions for being helpful or information about websites that educate people about Autism.

• Ignore onlookers. It takes time to build up the confidence, courage and a secure sense-of-self necessary to disregard the gawkers and disapproving stares that you may encounter. Begin building your protective armor by forcing yourself to focus on your child who really needs you to respond appropriately in that moment. Try creating a mantra to recite in circumstances such as these that would reassure you and help you concentrate on what is most important - your child.

Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Remember that every child has the potential to call attention to themselves or fall apart and every parent has the capacity to handle it inappropriately at times so don't be hard on yourself after an episode such as this. Tell yourself you did the best you could and use it as a learning experience to gain insight about what you might do differently the next time.

Connie Hammer, MSW, parent educator, consultant and coach, guides parents of young children recently diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to uncover abilities and change possibilities. Visit her website http://www.parentcoachingforautism.com to get your FREE resources - a parenting e-course, Parenting a Child with Autism - 3 Secrets to Thrive and a weekly parenting tip newsletter, The Spectrum.

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Raising Autistic Children - 7 Golden Rules For Parents

Parenting an Autistic child, we often forget that your child's life needs some thing more than the doctors & therapists. We become so protective and concerned about every little movement in his life, that we allow them no time to be kids. It is indeed important & helpful to allow them a little time in the day to let them do what they like. Here is a list of a few things that would surely pamper the kid within your child.

1. Let your Autistic child choose his activity or game at a certain time in each day. May it be playing with his favorite toy or game or following a hobby like drawing or painting. This brings in a break from doctors & therapies for the child.

2. Plan activities out for your Autistic child. For instance, a dinner at the food joint he relishes the most, or a picnic at a near by park. Such activities can be planned once a week. At times the child prefers spending time with their grandparents as well.

3. If you keep your child too protected and do not let him mingle with the other kids, he might develop a sort of phobia. Let him run, jump and yell like the other children. Kids love to get dirty and they have real fun in it. Allow your child to get dirty as it won't harm him as you think. A bath can wash away the mud but he shall have his share of fun.

4. Being autistic doesn't mean that your child can not lead a normal life. You must teach him to have courage and achieve whatever he aspires to do. Their condition should not become a hurdle in their path any which ways.

5. At this tender age, kids often hold on to all possible excuses to get a special treatment. Don't let Autism become a reason or excuse for your child. Punish him for his mistakes and make him face the consequences. This would help him become a strong individual in a longer run.

6. Give simple tasks to the child that are part of the daily chores like making the bed or packing the bag for school. Make sure the child is able to do them and reward him for the same. This would enhance his confidence and give him a sense of accomplishment.

7. Inspire your child to do his best in all aspects of life and show him that you have expectations from him. If your child is not made to use his full potential he shall never come to know his real strength.

Playing in mud, getting dirty, slipping down and yet smiling, fiddling with your favorite toy, yelling around cheerfully - that defines fun for kids. Do not be a guard over your child, be a guide and let him free some times. Even though he has special needs, he would be much happier being a free kid choosing his activities at a free will.

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