Disabled Children and Sleep - An Introduction😴🛌

Mary_Scope

Part Two- Practical Sleep Strategies for Parents and Carers🌙😴
Part Three - Services and Signposting Support😴💤

This weeks focus on the family side of the community is sleep.

If your child struggles to fall asleep, stay asleep or wakes frequently throughout the night, you’re definitely not alone.

Sleep difficulties are extremely common among disabled children, especially those with complex needs or who are neurodivergent. This isn’t just a case of “bad habits” or needing a stricter bedtime.

For many families, sleep becomes one of the most exhausting and emotionally draining parts of daily life.

There are many reasons disabled children may struggle with sleep and often it’s a combination of factors such as..

• Sensory processing differences
  Some children are very sensitive to sound, light, textures or touch. A slight change in room temperature, the feel of the bedding or even background noise can make it hard to settle and/or stay asleep
• Neurodivergence
  Autistic children or children who have ADHD or global developmental delay may have difficulty winding down, understanding time or recognising when they’re tired
• Medical conditions
  Chronic pain, reflux, epilepsy, breathing difficulties and other conditions can interrupt sleep or make sleep/settling down in bed uncomfortable
• Anxiety or emotional regulation issues
  Many children struggle with transitions, separation at night or managing worries that reach a peak at bedtime
• Medications
  Some prescriptions affect natural sleep rhythms. They may also cause restlessness or night waking
• Understanding of routine and time
  Some children find it difficult to understand day versus night or may find transitions such as getting ready for bed stressful or confusing.

Sleep problems are one of the most common reasons families of disabled children seek help. The good news is that often, there are ways to make things easier, even if a perfect nights sleep is not possible.

But, if you’re exhausted or running on empty yourself, it’s vital to remember that your wellbeing matters too

You deserve rest, and support, just as much as your child does!

In our next post, we’ll look at practical and realistic sleep strategies that may work for some families of disabled children.

What does sleep look like in your home? What’s helped or not helped you manage it?

If you have any questions about sleep and your child please let me know below and I'll do my best to support😀