6 year-old calling out after going to bed
Options
Mami
Community member Posts: 12 Connected
This discussion was created from comments split from: Ask a Sleep Practitioner.
Comments
-
My son is 6 years' old and had asd. I turn the light out at bedtime and leave the room but within a few minutes he calls me to go to the toilet, have a drink, move the covers etc. Sometimes it can take up to six return visits by me before he will go to sleep, even though he knows I am in my room and haven't gone downstairs. I have tried a "gold coins" as a rewards in the morning if he goes straight to sleep and then "a piece of treasure" after 6 nights but he has now lost interest in this and reverted to previous behaviour. Any advice welcome.
-
Hi @Mami,
Children come up with some fantastic distraction techniques!
Does he need the toilet when he asks? Is he actually thirsty? if he does need the toilet then add one more toilet visit in just before he goes to bed, and if he is thirsty offer water (it's a boring drink that children normally get bored of being given after a couple of nights! if he is thirsty he will drink it!)
Other than that when you return to his room, we would advocate not negotiating with him, simply say 'It's night time (name), go to sleep' in a quite plain voice and leave the room (repeat as many times as required).
You will need to do this for at least two weeks but he will get bored of this before then! He needs to see you are not engaging with his distraction techniques, but you still get to go and check on him and address the issues!
Good luck
Em x
Brightness
Categories
- All Categories
- 13K Start here and say hello!
- 6.6K Coffee lounge
- 103 Games lounge
- 416 Cost of living
- 4.3K Disability rights and campaigning
- 1.9K Research and opportunities
- 199 Community updates
- 9.3K Talk about your situation
- 2.1K Children, parents, and families
- 1.6K Work and employment
- 776 Education
- 1.7K Housing and independent living
- 1.4K Aids, adaptations, and equipment
- 615 Dating, sex, and relationships
- 363 Exercise and accessible facilities
- 737 Transport and travel
- 31.5K Talk about money
- 4.3K Benefits and financial support
- 5.2K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 17K PIP, DLA, and AA
- 4.9K Universal Credit (UC)
- 6.3K Talk about your impairment
- 1.8K Cerebral palsy
- 868 Chronic pain and pain management
- 180 Physical and neurological impairments
- 1.1K Autism and neurodiversity
- 1.2K Mental health and wellbeing
- 319 Sensory impairments
- 824 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions