Autism

[BobbysMom]

My 3 1/2 year old son has ASD with ADHD and he has trouble staying in bed during sleep. To him, if he wakes at 2 a.m., it’s party time. Typically, he’ll empty the refrigerator contents (including cracking all the eggs) onto the kitchen floor (he has by-passed every type of lock I’ve used); he'll climb on top of the fridge or bookcase to get things formerly out of his reach (including pens and markers to write on the walls with, when he isn't using his feces); empties the contents of the medicine cabinet; shreds any paper he can get his hands on; squeezes the heck out of the two cats; and generally wreaks havoc.

Unfortunately, he shares my bedroom, and there is no way to “contain” him. We just moved from another state, where he had his own bedroom, but that’s just not possible here (unless I win the lottery!). He has his own bed, but waits until I finally pass out from exhaustion to go play.

His former pediatrician and I ruled out every other possibility except autism but the doctors here won’t call it ASD/ADHD because he’s very social. He fits every other ASD/ADHD symptom exactly, but without a diagnosis, I can’t get him any medication to treat the ADHD

Any type of antihistamine is only safe for occasional use, and even then, it only provides a few hours of rest at best. Too bad he doesn’t like coffee!

Does anyone have any OTC/herbal/anecdotal ideas for me so I can get some rest? I’m weary from sleeping with one eye open!