Everyone knows that getting enough sleep can be a huge part of our effectiveness, functionality and mood!

But for individuals with FASD, sleep disorders are a specific problem. Lack of good sleep means that behavioural issues are elevated. Around 80% of parents and carers of children with FASD say their children have problem with sleep. These can include: 

• Frequently waking up at night
• Feeling scared at night 
• Sleep walking
• Problems settling 
• Problems waking 
• Problems understanding the concept of bedtime
• Melatonin or sensory issues

It's a big subject, but there are plenty of great tips: avoiding pre-bed excitement and setting up very solid routines is essential. Creating a calm quiet bedroom with low stimulus (no clutter), ear plugs or headphones, heavy blankets, no screen time and calming music can also be helpful.

Over 2020 there was a PhD project done in at University College London on sleep in children with FASD - the largest study to date. The three key findings were: 

• a significant proportion of anxiety can be predicted by sleep problems. This is true for both typically developing (TD) and FASD populations.

• children with FASD experienced significantly higher levels of sleep problems and anxiety than TD children, the majority at clinical levels.

• sleep interventions should be a clinical priority for children with FASD.

Find the FASD Sleep Project here.