My Son Rolls/tosses When Going to Sleep

dear C.,

my son ben did this as a baby and still does at age 5. My son sam started doing it in the past year, he is now 3. They are both fine, no autistic symptomology has been noted if this is your concern. They do other weird things as well. Ben likes to turn in circles and then try and walk around. They also both love to watch the credits at the end of the movie on our 60 inch tv. They will stand right in front and put their hands on the set, kinda like poltergeist!!! When asked, they said it makes them feel like they are falling, i suppose like a rollercoaster ride.

Regardless, i wouldn't worry. I am a psychiatric rn and this appears to be a self-soothing excercice for them. Best of luck with your little one!!!

M. rn

My daughter (now 16) has slept with a blanket wrapped around her head for as long as I remember. It used to drive my husband nuts when he would leave in the early hours of the morning and he would go in and see it. She still does it and now we just laugh about it. She is also the one kid who we just hated sleeping with us because she would toss and literally turn in a 360 degree all night long! Thankfully, at 5'11", she no longer does that!

C., and Marci,
My just-turned-4-year-old has similar behaviors. He is doesn't so much roll back and forth really fast, but he does manage, and has for years, managed to roll himself up in his "woobie" (very particular about his blanket) so he's enveloped in a cocoon, head and all. My son has other "quirks" like spinning, smelling things, and a moderate sensitivity to noise. Apparently he has moderate "sensory processing disorder." He goes to speech therapy in our school district as well as seeing a private speech pathologist who says that he really needs to see an occupational therapist who specializes in that. (I have a friend who's a pediatric OT who's been telling me for years that he needed "work"). Our pediatrician doesn't think it's a real concern and points out that there's just not enough research yet. Hmm. So while I don't have any real answers for you, I can recommend the books "The Out of Sync Child" and "Sensational Kids." See if the profiles fit, and if so, talk to a pediatric OT. My husband is reading the book now and it's been a real eye-opener for him. He's finally on board with getting him re-evaluated (first OT was a FLAKE!); the only thing it coud hurt is our budget! Good luck!

My son did this, and still does. He is now 4 1/2. My inlaws freaked when they saw it.. like he was having some sort of "fit" but he is fine. Some kids just do this. I first noticed he was banging his head when he was in the car seat and mumbling alot and he would do this every time he started to fall asleep. Then, in his bed he would curl up in a ball on his stomach and would cover his face with his hands and roll back and forth rather violently humming... till he fell asleep. I tried to stop it but it is as if he has this "internal radio" that helps him sleep and he feels the need to have it "cranked up". When he was an infant I would have to leave the radio on at night to help him sleep... then it stopped working and I had to place it under the crib and turn the bass up a bit. It is like when you get a puppy and they tell you to put a ticking clock in the kennel so they won't cry all night (because it mimics a heartbeat)... to some kids it is the same thing... it is a soothing thing.

I wouldn't freak out too much my son has begun out growing it (I am glad the head banging has stopped). It doesn't happen as often and I am betting we all do similar things on different scales... my husband has to tap his feet for several minutes before he falls asleep... drives me nuts :) I am sure there are things we all do that we rarely notice now... but because they are our kids.... they may draw more attention.

Keep and eye on it... if it really bothers you.. you can take him to a specialist, but chances are that may just really traumatize him and he may out grow it.

good luck :)
-T. (mom of 1)

It sounds like behavior that my sons had and yes they did grow out of it. Boys often display little things that look strange. I used to sit and watch my boys as they went to sleep because of some of the things they did. Don't worry.

If your doctor isn't concerned, I wouldn't be either. Maybe it's just "his way" of self soothing himself to sleep and of waking himself up. If it's harmless and it works, just let it be, I guess!

Its a form of stress release, the rocking back & forth , its your sons way of calming himself down and putting himself into the sleep mode, some research has said its been know in autistic children, know don't freak out this does not mean your son has this, although my son started at about 2 yrs old and still does this once in a while and he is 19 now, he does have Cerebral Palsy mild autism with a few other factors, again this does not mean your son does.

Hi C., My son did the same thing from the time he could roll, an I too kept checking with the doctor and they were not concerned. He is 13 and still does what we termed "the head rock" sometimes it is his head sometimes his whole body to help him go to sleep at night. Now that he has the words...he says "it soothes him" ..he also likes to do it if I am reading to him, he says it helps him concentrate?? So..from my experience he will not grow out of it. My son is somewhat self conscience of it...but laughs about it now at sleepovers, his friends are use to it. I have heard of different degrees of adults doing this type of behavior. I'm not sure where it stems from but for the record my son is an honor student, with no behavioral issues.
Hope this helps and puts your mind at ease.

R.

it is a sign of his developing character. and yes why would MD be interested in it - it is not a "registered" pathology he can give a pill for. the issue is very close to me since i used to sleep with my head wrapped or stuck under the pillow. i turned to homeopathy for seemingly unrelated issue and after prescribed remedy, don't have the need to do it anymore. needless to say after homeopathic treatment i feel better overall. so if it is in your budget (homeopaths are not covered by insurance), consider homeopathy.
Good Luck
V