Does it take your child hours to fall asleep? Does your child wake up multiple times throughout the day? Does your child wake up at the crack of dawn? Many parents feel alone when it comes to their child’s poor sleeping habits, but 80% of children with autism experience sleep problems. The Standford home sleep study data revealed that children with autism took about 160 minutes to enter REM sleep compared to 10 minutes by the control group. They also found that children with autism spent 15.5% of their time in REM sleep, while their counterparts spent 25% of their sleep in REM. Improving sleep can improve cognition, mood, and behavior. We answer frequently asked questions about sleep issues of children with autism and at-home tips to improve sleep.
What are the causes of sleep issues?
There is not a consistent etiology for sleep problems in children with autism. Sleep disturbances may be due to neurological, behavioral, and/or medical issues. Research is being conducted to evaluate the levels of hormones such as melatonin and other chemicals released by the brain that may contribute to sleeping issues in children with autism.
What should I do if I suspect my child has sleeping issues?
First, keep a sleep diary for a week to track your child’s sleeping patterns and behaviors. Calculate how much sleep your child is getting including naps. Typical amount of sleep include:
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Vasilikitsa “Kitsa” Antonopoulos, MA, CCC-SLP/L is a licensed speech-language pathologist with over two decades of experience supporting children and families. After earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Saint Louis University, she gained deep clinical expertise working across pediatric hospitals, early intervention programs, and autism therapy settings.
In 2010, Kitsa founded Lumiere Children’s Therapy to create a holistic, collaborative space where children could receive personalized, multidisciplinary care. Her vision continues to guide Lumiere’s dedicated team of therapists, offering speech, occupational, physical, and behavioral therapy and more, to help every child reach their fullest potential.



