by Kelly Dorfman, MS, LND, Co-founder Developmental Delay Resources Sleep disturbances are common in children with developmental and attentional issues because they have trouble recognizing their body’s need for rest, so here are sleep strategies for autism, ADHD, SPD and other developmental delays. Feeling sleepiness apart from all the other incoming information is as difficult as other sensory integration tasks, such as paying attention in a crowded classroom or getting to the bathroom in time. Poor sleep regulation is simply another symptom of the sensory system getting confused and overloaded. Adults with sleep problems are instructed to get more exercise, avoid stimulants and have a regular bedtime.  The same advice works well for youngsters with regulation issues. Providing motor and sensory stimulation during the day in the form of exercise or occupational therapy techniques like brushing, prevents the need to seek out excitement at three o’clock in the morning.   One way the body communicates its unmet needs is by restlessness or…