Here's my collection of sleep-related resources. If a link doesn't work, try removing any blank spaces in the address. If it still doesn't work, let me know.
Articles:
http://lindahodgdon.com/newsletters.html - click on September 2008 for "How to create successful bedtime routines" from visual support guru Linda Hodgdon.
http://www.autismsa.org.au/pdf/strategies/IS21_Sleeping_Prob lems.pdf - "Sleeping Problems" information sheet from the Autism Association of South Australia.
http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=528&a=3376 - "Helping your child with autism to sleep better" from the National Autistic Society in the UK.
http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/Medical/goodnight.html- "Establishing Positive Sleep Patterns for Young Children with Autism" by the Indiana Resource Center for Autism.
http://www.aap.org/pressroom/AutismMgmt.pdf - "Management of Children with Autism Sepctrum Disorders" from the medical journal Pediatrics. Sleep disturbances are covered on page 8.
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-integrati on-activities.html - Sleep programs/products
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/helping-baby-slee p.html - helping baby sleep
http://www.netnewsdesk.com/SPDFoundation/index.cfm?PID=897&a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;ID=4041,14387,14288 - dealing with under and overarousal, from an OT specializing in sensory issues.
http://autism.about.com/od/sleepissuesandautism/Sleep_Issues _and_Autism.htm - collection of articles from autism.about.com
http://www.asdatoz.com/Documents/Website-%20Helping%20Childr en%20Sleep%20ltrd.pdf - from the authors of "Autism Spectrum Disorders from A to Z". Includes a great tip about colored nightlights, and video modeling.
http://www.parenting.com/article/Baby/Care/Solved!-The-Myste ries-of-Toddler-Naps - Parenting magazine article "Solved! The Mysteries of Toddler Naps" (not about autism per se, but covers kids up to age 4 or so).
http://www.integrationscatalog.com/sportime-shared/articles/ sleeping_issues.jsp - sensory integration and sleep.
http://www.angelfire.com/tn3/task/sleep.html - from Tennessee Autism Spectrum Kids. Lots of links.
http://groups.msn.com/TheAutismHomePage/sleep.msnw - another article with lots of links, including a New Scientist article that claims that too much tv watching reduces natural melatonin levels.
Sample tips from our forum:
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25360&am p;am p;am p;PN=1&TPN=1 - tip from our forum about using a large stuffed animal as a transitional object.
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=27532&am p;am p;PN=4 - product tip from our forum, a special light that allowed them to quit melatonin
Resources for documenting sleep problems:
Note: The resources in this section were found through links at http://www.adoptmed.org/topics/childrens-sleep-habits-questi onnaire.html:
http://www.kidzzzsleep.org/pdfs/04CSHQAbbreviated.pdf - Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire
http://www.kidzzzsleep.org/pdfs/04CSHQ-SubscaleItems.pdf - What the questionnaire scores mean -- ie are you dealing with parasomnias, anxiety, etc.
http://www.kidzzzsleep.org/docs/sleepdiary.xls - sleep diary example
Sample social stories:
http://billandaddie.blogspot.com/search?q=Bedtime+social+story - bedtime
http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/stateschools/PDF/ParentFocus(De c05).pdf - bedtime
http://www.autism-india.org/dec99.html - going to bed
http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=528&a=3376 - "time for bed" (under the paragraph headed "Explaining sleep").
http://www.mhkc.org/media/doc1/Autism%20Social%20Stories/FEE LING%20SAFE%20IN%20BED%20AT%20NIGHT.PDF - feeling safe in bed at night at camp.
Books:
"Sleep Better! A Guide to Improving Sleep for Children with Special Needs" by V. Mark Duran.
Any other resources?
Finally some scientific research on melatonin.
http://centerforautism.blogspot.com/2010/07/melatonin-and-ch ildren-with-autism.html
With the iPod app "Sleep Machine" you can combine white noise and/or music in just the right way to help your child sleep.
Raising a sensory smart child's facebook site had a tip about these products. They are different plush toys that soothe different senses - some use aromatherapy, some use calming sounds, some use vibration, some use light to make a starry sky out of your ceiling, etc.
http://cloudb.stores.yahoo.net/ongo1.html
Review of the research on melatonin and autism. Basically - it works.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/treatment-of-melaton in-dysfunction-in-children-with-autism-shows-improvement-in- sleep-and-daytime-behaviors-120696014.html
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-8749.2011. 03980.x/abstract
An article about a bed tent designed by the parents of a child with autism.
http://specialchildren.about.com/b/2011/03/26/about-that-bed -tent-in-parents-april-issue.htm
The Nickel Bed Tent from Ready, Set, Bloom, LLC. www.myreadysetbloom.com.The bed tent helps keep children safe and comfortable in bed. A twin-sized mattress just slides inside, with 3 points of access and has covered poles for the child’s safety.
This hasn't been bumped since 2007. Today I found out about bed bumpers for big kids, if your kid reacts to a cold wall or often hits the wall during sleep. This is just meant as an example, I'm assuming other webshops have similar products. I have no experience with the product or webshop.
http://www.kidzcomfort.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPa th=2&zenid=92f07de6d397a214333fa004cff65c07