Zzzzzzzzzzzz
by Beth
My husband and I went to Wisconsin over the weekend to visit our son. Gus is 25 years old and lives in a group home with three other guys. In many ways it is nearly impossible to believe he’s old enough to live on his own already. But then when I think about it, hmmm. He really did age us when he was still living at home!
Gus has always, always had problems falling asleep. And then he had problems staying asleep. As a result, so did we. Research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry shows that children with autism sleep significantly less than typically developing kids in a 24-hour period. Recognizing this, the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center has created a resource that might help improve sleep for children and teens with autism. The
toolkit is called Sleep Strategies for Children with Autism: A Parent’s Guide and it offers ideas for families whose children with autism have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep through the night.
It goes without saying that we’ve missed having Gus at home since he moved away … but I have to admit: I really do appreciate a good night’s sleep now! If you are suffering from sleep deprivation at home, read this toolkit for ideas. And hey, you don’t even have to lose sleep worrying how much the resource guide will dent your wallet: you can download the toolkit for free!