Page 1 of 1 [ 11 posts ] 

donnysmum
Butterfly
Butterfly

User avatar

Joined: 7 Dec 2007
Age: 69
Gender: Female
Posts: 10
Location: Liverpool England

11 Sep 2008, 3:09 am

Can anyone tell me if tiredness is a feature of Asperger's syndrome. My 14 year old son is being sent to a chronic fatigue clinic by his psychiatrist, because he complains about feeling extremely tired and says thats what stops him going into school.

This morning I have tried to wake him up and apart from being told to get out of his room he couldn't/wouldn't open his eyes. I am now in work and I know that he will sleep till the afternoon even though I will keep ringing the house phone to try and wake him.

This happens a couple of times a week were he seems really tired, and will spend the day lounging around (I take the internet connection plug to work with me so he can't use the computer - LOL).

If it is a feature of Asperger's is there anything that helps with this 'tiredness'?



Alb134
Emu Egg
Emu Egg

User avatar

Joined: 6 Sep 2008
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Posts: 8

11 Sep 2008, 3:33 am

Tiredness is not really a feature of Asperger's, but it can be hard to wake people with Asperger's up as they will usually stay up late. The reason for staying up late is because your son may still need to use up some energy to feel tired enough to sleep and wake up early.

I'd recommend getting your son some exercise every once in a while so that he becomes tired enough to fall asleep. This may also sound a bit rude, but don't listen to your son whenever you get in his room in the morning until he is fully awake, he could be trying to get you to leave so he can go back to sleeping.

If he takes any meds that help him focus, give it to him right when you enter his room and make sure he takes it. The meds will eventually kick in and most likely wake your son up.



AvatarOfLight
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 22 Aug 2008
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 32

11 Sep 2008, 5:15 am

From personal experience, exercise does help.

Something to possibly consider is that fatigue is pretty common for depression.
And depression is pretty common for AS

You're only going to get that energy back by going out and doing stuff.



ster
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Sep 2005
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,485
Location: new england

11 Sep 2008, 7:59 am

from my experience, sleep is definitely an issue- or lack of it............both my aspies have sleep issues. it also *could* be depression.



donnysmum
Butterfly
Butterfly

User avatar

Joined: 7 Dec 2007
Age: 69
Gender: Female
Posts: 10
Location: Liverpool England

11 Sep 2008, 8:48 am

My son does have difficulty getting off to sleep he says his brain won't switch off, he takes melatonin which does help, it seems to happen after going to school for a couple of days and then the 4th or 5th day he is really tired and he would sleep for 15 hours if we let him.

He has also had blood tests for thyroid checks and they say his thyroid is on the low side of normal. Getting him to exercise is a problem, we live near a beautiful sandy beach with a big pine wood and I often walk our dog there but my son refuses to come out with me.

He is quite stubborn which is one of the reasons the health professionals we have seen think he has asperger's, at the start of all this I really thought my son had ADD without hyperactivity. I now accept that he has Asperger's but I still think he is ADD as well, I have read on forums that people with ADD complain about lethargy and tiredness. Does anyone think a stimulant would help improve his tiredness and lack of concentration and organisation.



ster
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Sep 2005
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,485
Location: new england

11 Sep 2008, 7:02 pm

son takes seroquel at night to help him sleep. seems to work ok for him- not everything works for everybody, though...unfortunately, it's kind of a crap shoot to find the right meds



Marcia
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,148

12 Sep 2008, 6:29 pm

I had been meaning to ask something along these lines myself. My son is 6, will be 7 in December. He is extremely active, whirlwind of activity, and rarely is asleep much before midnight. Sometimes, he'll be up bright and early, other times (usually school mornings!) he's later up. Like me, he is definately a night owl.

He's started going to ballet classes after school on a Monday. They only last for half an hour, but he is only participating for maybe 10-15 minutes, then says he is tired, and lies on the floor at the side. The teacher is fine about it, and is going to adapt her routine to fit around him, so he gets to learn the exercises at the start before he gets too tired. She suggested it might be a stamina thing, and that could be built up gradually.

I am concerned though, that he just isn't getting enough sleep and wondered what people thought about melatonin. Someone in this thread mentioned something else, as well. I'm in the UK and I think, that GPs here can prescribe melatonin.



DW_a_mom
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Gender: Female
Posts: 13,683
Location: Northern California

12 Sep 2008, 6:35 pm

I think there is definitely a pattern among Aspies of

1) Quality of sleep and other sleep issues
2) Physical stamina issues
3) Depression or moodiness which also leads to more sleepiness
4) Food allergies which can also increase feelings of sleepiness

It can be any or all or none, depending on the person.


_________________
Mom to an amazing young adult AS son, plus an also amazing non-AS daughter. Most likely part of the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (some traits).


marieclaire
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2008
Age: 58
Gender: Female
Posts: 205

12 Sep 2008, 6:50 pm

DW_a_mom wrote:
I think there is definitely a pattern among Aspies of

1) Quality of sleep and other sleep issues
2) Physical stamina issues
3) Depression or moodiness which also leads to more sleepiness
4) Food allergies which can also increase feelings of sleepiness

It can be any or all or none, depending on the person.


And anxiety issues - which feed exhaustion issues.



Magique
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2008
Age: 67
Gender: Female
Posts: 138

12 Sep 2008, 6:59 pm

Teenagers in general sleep more.



aspiartist
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 14 Aug 2008
Age: 64
Gender: Female
Posts: 557

12 Sep 2008, 7:04 pm

It could be a feature in relation to stress associated with hypersensitivity.