By: Elizabeth Turner
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Investigator Beth Malow, M.D., M.S., recently co-authored a new book titled Solving Sleep Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders through Woodbine House as a part of its Special Needs Collection.
Malow serves as Burry Chair in Cognitive Childhood Development, Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, and Director, Vanderbilt Sleep Disorders Division. She co-wrote the book with Terry Katz, Ph.D.
Solving Sleep Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders is based on a landmark, multi-year study of sleep in children with ASD which concluded that parent training is the key to resolving sleep problems. The authors show parents how to evaluate both daytime and nighttime habits and routines -- exercise, lighting, caffeine consumption, bedtime readiness and preparation, sleep environment -- to identify causes of impaired sleep. Parents are then taught to use strategies such as individualized stories, visual schedules, visual cues, and rewards to help their child get ready for bed, fall asleep, and stay asleep.
"The sleep education program for parents described in this book has been invaluable for our family," says Meredith Newmaker, parent of a child with ASD. "The picture schedule worked like a miracle the very first night, and my daughter fell asleep in minutes rather than hours."
Daniel Coury, M.D., FAAP, Medical Director of the Autism Speaks Autism Network, Chief of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, states: "[This book is] a concise, straightforward explanation of sleep problems in children with autism. Families will find the content up to date and easily understood. Particularly useful is the emphasis on non-medication management of these problems, as most sleep problems in autism can be treated effectively without medicine. Every parent of a child with autism should read this book, whether their child has sleep problems or not."
Solving Sleep Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders can be found on Amazon by clicking here.
Dr. Malow also discussed sleep in children with autism spectrum disorder recently on the Autism Show podcast. Audio from that broadcast, along with links to subscribe to the Autism Show podcast, can be found here.
Last Updated: 10/17/2014 11:09:57 AM
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