Autism and sleep
Sleep
for my autistic son has always been associated with puzzling timing,
inconsistent location, and varying results.
Now that he is sixteen years of age, much of these challenges have been
minimized, but some still remain. As
with much of Anton’s challenges, we consider ourselves to be lucky as compared
with other wild stories of sleepless autism nights with other kids. I recently took some time to ponder the joys of autism and sleep.
Sleeping
by himself in his earlier years delivered the most inconsistencies and
surprises. He could have nights where he slept solid and undisturbed as I often
do. The next night, however, something completely different might happen.
I
certainly did not have many nights like this as a child or even a teen.
Interrupted sleep was something to plague me on off nights when thoughts of
unfinished business or past obsessions took over my mind. I
suppose his sleeping habits could be compared to that of an adult with much on
the mind. I for one can relate to nights where I fall asleep easily, only to be
woken up by thoughts and not able to return to slumber.
My
son now begins his nights in his own bed in his own room. He often makes the
request of “couch?”, hoping that we will allow him to sleep on the couch, or “Poppa’s
room?” hoping to sleep with me. We regretfully have to decline to help with
breaking these habits. Most
commonly, his routine is to fall asleep and then wake at five a.m. He then
exchanges his bed for the couch in the living room, and turns on the earliest
morning cartoons on PBS. We have accepted this compromise and have called it a
success.
Author Mark Ferdinand
Mark
Ferdinand lives on the South Texas coast with his wife, daughter and
son. Fishing the surf, hunting, gardening, carving, auto and home repair
occupy his spare time. He has written on the topic of autism spectrum
disorder from a father’s perspective in parenting articles and in other
non-fiction venues.
 |
| Autism author Mark Ferdinand |
Having
limited typical communication skills, his son introduced Mark to new
ways of interpreting his needs and aspirations. As his son grew older
Mark became fascinated by the story potential within these amazing
children. This prompted the creation of a dynamic adventure story
focusing on a character with autism.
Mark also has a non-fiction work entitled You’re Gonna’ Get Bit! Harrowing Tales of Herpetology.
From
chasing frogs as a child, to milking venomous snakes for a living, Mark
Ferdinand explores a lifetime of tales from the world of reptiles and
amphibians. Whether it’s a quest for his first turtle, keeping
crocodiles in his closet, or chasing snakes around the workplace, You’re
Gonna’ Get Bit! has a story that all “herpers” and nature lovers can
relate to and enjoy.
Autism Novel Summary
Denny was diagnosed with autism at three years of age. Autism gave him the gift of obsession. This gift made him the youngest, self-made millionaire in Texas history. Autism also made him vulnerable to the forces of the outside world, of both society and nature.
Fortune on the Spectrum is the journey of an unstoppable young man, destined to succeed and challenged to survive. Denny's story takes you through struggle, humor, love, and danger from the voice of an atypical mind.
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