We completely resolved our toddlers hyperness and aggressiveness through dietary change. We do the GAPS diet (www.gapsdiet.com) and one supplement called Lutimax (www.lutimax.com). About 2 months into the diet, he was sleeping great, no more hyper, much more affectionate, mellow, attentive, no more sensory issues. It has made my life so much better and he is so available to learn without all the hyperness and aggression. If I can help let me know!

Both my 7yr old ASD, and my 5 yr old nerotypical get rampt up at 8pm almost everyday. It doesn't matter what they eat or time of year. I found that if they do the active hard play for an hour ... ish they tend to sleep better. I also play a movie at night to help distract them until they fall asleep. It works for us. if not for you them you might try getting allergy testing done. Good Luck

It's interesting to hear the responses. I've also noticed my 4yr old ASD will get a burst of energy at night too. We are often at the park daily (as possible) for 2-3hrs and physical activity does help provide some outlet. In the evening, a warm bath, and calming music (classical, Enya) paired with a slightly darkened room and/or a book helps calm. My son is not on any special diet, but I do watch sugar intake especially near bed time.

One more thought...have you heard about 'weighted blankets'? I have never used one, but have heard they can be helpful. Here's a random link to illustrate what I'm talking about: http://www.sensacalm.com/weighted-blankets/?gcl... (I've never used this company or have any comments about them either way.) In speaking with our OT about them, she told me there is a proper weight for the size of the child so check into that before ordering. Good luck!

my little one did that a few months back. she would do this for hours. I put together a really structured routine for her (I had just found out about her autism) and for two or three weeks I put melatonin in her milk about an hour before bed. Her little body wasn't making enough of the hormones that tell your body to go to sleep. The routine provided the cues that her hormones would have provided her and the melatonin filled in the gaps. I also tried to identify and eliminate the triggers for her agressive behavior. Now for the most part, she goes to bed at 8. She still gets agressive during her meltdowns but she doesn't just sneak up and start punching you like she used to.