How to Get Your Sensory Child to Sleep
Just how are you to get your sensory child to sleep?
Getting kids to sleep is no easy feat.
But when you have a sensitive child or a sensory kiddo, it can be that much tougher.
As the mom of two sensory kiddos myself, here are some tips (and tricks) I’ve learned along the way that can help your child, no matter his age, settle down and get to sleep.
Be sure to learn more about Sensory Processing Disorder and my parenting tips on how to support your child with sensory challenges.
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How to Get Your Sensory Child to Sleep
Above the usual pieces of advice, such as have a soothing bath and stick with a normal nighttime routine, I’ve found these tips (and tricks) have really helped my sensory and sensitive kiddos go to sleep easier.
Implement a Sensory Diet to Help Your Child To Sleep
If you haven’t already, I can’t emphasize enough that sensory kids need to have a sensory diet — and it needs to be addressed every single day.
What is a sensory diet?
It’s activities you implement every day that help meet the specific sensory needs of your child.
Every kid is different, so what he will need is different from the next kiddo.
For example, if your child is a tactile sensory seeker, make sure he gets loads of tactile input before bed.
My oldest son was always seeking proprioceptive and vestibular input… jumping, spinning, crashing.
The key was to make sure he got his fill during the day… and then turn it off before bedtime to give him a chance to cool his engine a bit.
To be honest, some days your child will need one thing one day and need something else the next day.
The key is to try to be as consistent when possible, make changes based on the day as needed, and make sure that it’s tailored to what your child needs.
Keep Sensory Toys on Hand
Over the years, we have created a bin of small sensory toys that are also soothing and calming.
We keep a couple of fidgets, like Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty and Tangle Junior, that my son likes to use after I say goodnight.
We also have some visually soothing toys, like a glitter wand and liquid bubble dropper, we keep on his nightstand.
Of course, figure out what’s age appropriate for your kiddo.
But I know as a kid I loved these kinds of toys for a reason… I just didn’t understand why at the time!
Need more ideas to help your child to sleep night? Find more visually calming ideas here!
Get Your Child to Sleep – Make the Bed as Comfortable as Possible
Yes, this seems obvious.
But for kids who are hyper sensitive to their environment, what we may see as perfectly comfortable is actually not for them.
When my kids went to “big boy beds,” I bought these adorable organic sheets from Pottery Barn Kids. They had zoo animals for one boy and trains for the other.
What I didn’t consider was just how soft these sheets were.
It wasn’t until my child was in Kindergarten that he finally told me the reason he preferred to snuggle up in my bed was the sheets were smoother.
It seemed like such an odd statement.
But when I curled up in his bed and really paid attention to how it felt, I realized that I could make it feel better for him.
It was an embarrassing A-ha moment for me that it took me that long to figure it out.
1. Immediately, I upped my game on his mattress pad, buying a fluffier one with “smoother” cotton, which surprisingly makes a difference!
2. I also upped my game on his sheets. I found these fabulous Martha Stewart sateen sheets at Macy’s that weren’t expensive and are oh so soft!
3. And for the piece de resistance…. satin pillow cases! Don’t laugh. Both of my sons have gone gaga over these and for good reason. Even I had to admit they made their beds significantly more comfortable. And for a tactile sensitive kid, that’s a huge thing.
Add in Essential Oils
I have a hypersensitive smeller in my house. He can sniff out even the slightest thing in our house.
So when someone suggested we try using essential oils, my first reaction was “no way!”
But hear me out, I was shocked… and I mean shocked… at my son’s positive reaction to diffusing lavender oil in his room.
And in case you’re wondering how to start essential oils with your child who is hypersensitive to scent, this is how I did it.
When I asked my son how the lavender made him feel, he said it made his room feel cleaner and more fresh. It’s actually a great way to describe it.
I should mention that I’m friends with a mom who puts lavender essential oil into coconut oil (as a carrier oil) and puts a dab on the soles of her son’s feet at night.
He was relying on melatonin for years before this, but this combo is doing the trick in her house.
Create a Nighttime Refuge
This can mean many things for your child. But basically, create a visually calming sensory experience.
NIGHT LIGHTS
This year, we added a green lava lamp to my son’s room, which casts a wonderfully green hue to the room at night while also adding a visually calming focal point.
For years, my other son had a turtle night light that would shine stars all over his room.
Privacy Pop Eclipse Bed Tent – Twin/Unicorn Galaxy
BED TENTS
Have you seen these new bed tents?
They look amazing… and for a kid that needs to feel cocooned while tuning out the rest of the world, this would be awesome.
I wish we had known about these sooner.
MUSIC
In our house, each boy has a CD player with a customized playing list of nighttime songs.
These are quiet songs the kids have connected with over the years.
They literally listen to this CD at least once (if not twice) a night.
WHITE NOISE
Consider adding a white noise machine.
One of our kiddos has environmental allergies so we run an air filter all night, which acts as it’s own white noise machine.
But sometimes it’s helpful for kids to dampen the sounds from the rest of the house.
Just these small changes immediately impacted how my son felt about his bed and helped him calm down at night.
So the next time you go into your child’s room, really think about the sensory experience your kiddo has in there.
Think about it from his perspective.
You may be surprised at the small changes you can make that will make a big change in getting your child to sleep at night.
So helpful! Lots of simple ideas in here that will add up to a great sleep experience for all…
THanks!
Thanks for sharing those tips! I’ve used essential oils at bedtime before–very cautiously too– but I haven’t used them in a while. My kid’s been struggling with more daylight now so I’ll give it a try again 🙂
I would definitely give them a try again. My son has absolutely loved them…
Hi Jenny:
We had and still have a nighttime ritual which led to bedtime. The ritual has constantly changed, but generally involved book reading, singing a few songs, lights out, back rubbing. But the biggest issue was not getting him to sleep, but what to do when he would wake up? For the first year or two, that was the biggest problem. He would go to sleep fairly easily but about 30 to 60 minutes later, he would up crying. I would go in and put him back to sleep and he would wake up crying an hour later. We tried the Ferber method one night, but did not have the strength to continue. Finally the solution hit me. Comfort him, reassure him, but stop going into his room! So, for the next two or three nights, I would stick my head in his room, sing song, read to him, but I did not enter his room. Some nights, I sat just outside his door for hours talking and singing to him. My goal was to give him the confidence that I was there and cared about him, but without giving him the incentive to wake up. After about three or four nights, he began to sleep through the night and he still does to this day.
What a wonderful trick! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank u for this Dr.Emmer. . My husband and I are at our wits end. Our 3 yr old daughter laughs out loud in her sleep then wakes up and runs and screams like someone’s pouring acid on her. I have a back inury so if I pick her up I’m useless and in pain for days. I’ve tried holding her and hugging her on my knees but she doesnt like it. During the day if shes in full on tantrum mode and I’m lucky enough to be in zen mode I simply hum a song I make up and go about my chores while stopping to smile at her. She calms almost immediately… I wasnt sure if she was just curious about what song I was singing and the fact I was calm. It happens almost the same time most nights as well 3am-4am. A friend said to have her tested for parasites bc they are active laying eggs at night and cause intense itching and even acute pain. That may be why she wants to be held bc her tummy is pressed against dad while he walks around the house and sings to her. Shes is Daddys little girl for sure. There are times he has to travel out of town for work for up to 4 days at a time and I panic. The last time this happened the neighbors called the police to do a wellness check.The officers were very nice and sympathetic once I explained shes post liver transplant w a g-tube, has some brain damage from being in a coma and doesnt like her daddy not being home period. Sorry for the novella. THANK YOU again!!!! I will obviously have her tested per my friends advice but you’ve given me hope and now I’m not panicking about Daddys next absense. Much love and gratitude from FL. ?
Fascinating. Really interesting article, i will definitely be looking at my son’s bedroom with a new perspective as a result and his sensory diet.
You just never know how your son might perceive his room! And what you might not think as a distraction really could be. Good wishes on helping make your son’s room a sensory haven 🙂
We use fans for white noise. Luckily my 3 year old sleeps great, but my 16 month old, I don’t think he has slept since he was born lol! At least at night. I diffuse lavender, his bed is so comfy (I know I spend hours each day lyingin it with him) but he just wants to sleep in my bed and screams to no end if I don’t bring him Good thing he’s cute!!
Thanks for sharing at #everythingkids!
Sadly, my teen still has trouble sleeping. Migraine kids always do. Love essential oils! Thanks for linking up at the Best of the Blogosphere Linky Par
Deb… Migraines really do throw a wrench into the mix. I have to say, a very good acquaintance of mine who is a nurse used to suffer from migraines. A fellow doctor told her she ought to go to an acupuncturist (which she laughed about but finally said she’d go just so he’d stop talking about it). After a couple of sessions, her migraine frequencies diminished significantly. Just something to think about… Good luck with your kiddo!
Thanks for these articles. Wish we had encountered this article before trying for 3 years things to help sleep. We used everything, including melatonin, sateen sheets, soft bedding and mattress, scent, turtle lights, melatonin lights, touch, humidifier, temp control, soft hypoallergenic pillows, seamless socks, tables PJs rubs, massages, etc etc. I always thought why is he getting the most expensive kind of cotton items, sheets, blankets and realized after 2 yrs or so after it is all sensory. He can’t stand anything not texturally soft, visually dim, aromatically nice, and definitely anything gooshy and nice. Tonight, after much sensory input return home from an amusement park with the most 3G to 5 G rides and 60 MPH coasters with tons of rolls, loops, helixes, he is well spoken, happy, and filled sensory diet. He went to bed and prepared for bed all by himself with no fuss and no problems!? If we have acres of backyard, we can build a Hangtime coaster and Silver Bullet coaster for him to lull him to bed. Each coaster ridden at 5 times nightly of course!