We at Reinforcement Unlimited
are very excited to offer a Sleep Consultation Service to parents. Sleep
is one of the most taken-for-granted aspects of our children's lives and yet disruptions
in sleep are very common among children with an Autism Spectrum
disorder.
"Who's turn is
it?" That is a question that parents of newborns are familiar with
and most parents can laugh about by the time their child is a toddler.
For parents of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder that question often
remains all too familiar well past having a toddler.
Sleep is critical to a child's:
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Development
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Health
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Well-being
The most common forms of sleep
disturbance for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder reported were:
Sleep disorders may worsen daytime
mood and behaviors such as self injury and aggression in children. It
has a negative impact on cognitive and academic skills in all children.
Research indicates that sleep deprivation also has a negative impact on
sustained attention, memory, complex language tasks, and visiospatial skills.
Who are we:
Dr. Robert Montgomery has been consulting on sleep issues with children for
over a decade. He has presented on the topic of Sleep and Autism
Spectrum Disorders local, national, and international conferences. He is
one of the only practitioners who routinely includes sleep as a factor in his
comprehensive diagnostic evaluations of children suspected of having an Autism
Spectrum Disorder. Our consultants have training and experience with
consultation on various behavioral issues and in parent training. We
work together with parents to formulate a workable plan that is based on the
child and what the research literature indicates is most likely to benefit the
child and their family.
The Process:
We provide clinic and in-home consultation on
improving your child's sleep and your family's overall health.
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The process begins with a
careful review of your child's records to determine if there is a need to
refer you for additional medical evaluations. A central goal of our
consultation services is to determine if additional medical assessments
need to be completed in order to ensure the health and safety of your
child.
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A detailed interview is
conducted that focuses on both night-time and day-time routines and
behavior.
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Parents are often asked to
give us detailed information on the process of their child getting ready
for and going to bed.
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We can proceed by asking
parents to record information about bedtime routine for 3-15 days in order
for a detailed analysis of patterns and routine.
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Or, portable data collection
equipment can be temporarily setup in your home in order to record the
sleep process for analysis by our team.
Once sufficient information is
collected, and possible medical issues are resolved or addressed, the team
will meet with the parents in order to present a detailed plan to address the
sleep disturbance. Parent education and instruction in various
techniques may be a part of the plan developed jointly by the parents and the Reinforcement
Unlimited staff.
Contact us for further information
on the Sleep Consultation Service or to make arrangements for your initial
appointment.
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