Zoom Autism Magazine Issue 1 Fall 2014 | Page 27

Perhaps the most important thing you can do to help your child cope with insomnia is to work with them on finding effective coping strategies. Often sensory sensitivities and anxiety can worsen the symptoms of autistic insomnia. Looking at a child’s sleep environment and bedtime routine from the perspective of lessening sensory triggers and providing enough time for enjoyable sensory integration activities is a great place to start. But remember, the approach that works for each child is different, and it’s unlikely that their sleep difficulties will disappear entirely. There’s just something about the autistic brain that makes sleep harder for us. However, we can develop a set of coping strategies that minimizes the severity of our insomnia and the stress associated with it. Cynthia Kim blogs at Musings of an Aspie and is the author of two books: Nerdy, Shy and Socially Inappropriate: A User Guide to an Asperger Life and I Think I Might Be Autistic. Photos courtesy of Pixabay Zoom Autism Through Many Lenses 27