Adventures in Autism

Most individuals with autism are not particularly fond of change.  My son definitely falls into that category.  He likes to wear the same clothes, eat the same foods, go to the same places, watch the same DVDs,  and follow the same schedule.  He enjoys predictability to an intense degree.

Many individuals with autism also have sleep disturbances.  Some don’t require much sleep, and many don’t sleep through the night.  This is tough with young children.  Fortunately, my son doesn’t have much of this.  He likes his sleep, for the  most part, and he sleeps soundly.  He does wake up in the middle of every night, but he usually just comes to my bed and immediately falls back asleep.  I have grown very tired of this, and don’t really want my 9 year old sleeping in my bed at night.

For the last several months, B has developed an aversion to his own bed.  He begs every night to go to sleep in my room, and I typically refuse him.  He then begs to sleep on the couch.  When he comes to get in bed with me, I usually make him leave and give him a choice–he can go to his room or sleep on a pallet on the floor in my room.  He chooses the floor 100% of the time.

Today I challenged the sleep and  change issues all at once.  B got a new bed.  Actually, I got a new bed, and moved my bed to his room.  He will now have a larger bed, and one he is clearly comfortable sleeping in, so I am hopeful it will work.  Instead of being averse to this change, he was very excited!  As soon as I put sheets on the bed and made it up for him at around 7:30, he was ready to try it out.

For the first time in at least six months, my child is sleeping in his bed.  Let’s hope he stays there all night!