Kelly-anne Riley-Smith: Autism & Anxiety Sleep Specialist

Kelly-anne Riley-Smith: Autism & Anxiety Sleep Specialist www.facebook.com/groups/sleepsuccessforautisticchildren As amazing as it is, being a parent can be hard! My family life is far from 'normal' - whatever that is?!

Helping parents of autistic children with sleeping difficulties to create calm, confident sleep routines so they can enjoy restful nights without overwhelm or endless battles. But when you are the parent of a neurodivergent child, all those parental challenges along with every-day goals are magnified. I have 4 children, all of whom are neurodivergent - Autism, ADHD, Epilepsy, but with both myself

and my husband also being neurodivergent ............lets just say, I don't think our 'days of diagnosis' are over just yet! Over the past 22 years of being a parent I have laughed, loved, cried and felt so much pride to the point of bursting; I have suffered clinical depression, lost friends and family and fought for services until I thought I had nothing left to give. But as the song goes, "I'm still standing"! One thing I have learned along my journey, which is SO easily overlooked, is the importance of self care, because you 'can't pour from an empty cup'! You need to be at your best, so you can give your best to those who really need you. You are the glue that holds everything together, please don't fall apart

To connect with other parents and families with autistic children, gain tips, advice and extremely supportive friends (who genuinely 'get it') alongside advice, hear from guest speakers and make use of our wonderful resources and products that really do help, then come on over and join my parent support group. I'd love to see you over there and really get to know you and your wonderful family x

https://www.facebook.com/groups/autismandparentsupport





12/04/2026

This is what it looks like when you stop waiting… and start going all in!

On the way to Leeds for the amazing Business Mastery Live.

This is going to be an epic 2 days, with some truly incredible people - including me FINALLY meeting my business partner and best friend IN PERSON after 6 years!

I’m SO excited - are you going too?

04/04/2026

If your autistic child struggles with sleep… this might be the missing piece 👇

It’s not just about bedtime as a good sleep routine starts in the morning.

When your child gets natural light first thing, it triggers the release of cortisol - the hormone that helps wake the body up and set their internal clock.

And when that body clock starts to align with the outside world… bedtime can begin to feel easier.

So before you focus on the evening routine,
look at what’s happening at the start and throughout the day
because sometimes, small changes in the morning
can make a big difference at night.

Follow me for more sleep tips to help your autistic child sleep

Today is Autism Awareness/Acceptance Day (yep, we have both a day and a full month of it!) and while awareness is import...
02/04/2026

Today is Autism Awareness/Acceptance Day (yep, we have both a day and a full month of it!) and while awareness is important… real acceptance means understanding what life actually looks like for autistic individuals and their families.

Because behind the diagnoses there are real, everyday challenges that don’t get spoken about enough.

Like sleep for one.. did you know that up to 80% of autistic children experience sleep difficulties.

That’s not just the occasional unsettled night, that’s bedtime battles, night wakings, early mornings, anxiety at night, and a nervous system that simply can’t switch off.

It’s exhausted children trying to get through the day and parents running on empty, doing their absolute best whilst feeling completely drained.

And here’s the part that matters most, this isn’t about “bad habits” or “getting stricter routines in place.” Sleep difficulties in autistic children are deeply linked to their neurology, their sensory needs, their anxiety levels, and how their nervous system processes the world.

So acceptance means we stop expecting autistic children to fit into neurotypical sleep expectations and instead, we start understanding their sleep needs.

Because when we truly understand the why behind sleep struggles (and all the other life struggles) that’s when things can begin to change!

I’ve always found it somewhat ironic that autism awareness/acceptance month starts on April fools day - because the whol...
01/04/2026

I’ve always found it somewhat ironic that autism awareness/acceptance month starts on April fools day - because the whole system of support really is a joke!

The “are you kidding me” responses from so many parents when they first hear about the lengthy wait lists (for pretty much anything and everything) coupled with the volumes of paperwork needed to be filled in 🥴

But one thing that isn’t a joke, is my sleep support workshop happening this evening with 4 weeks of ongoing support - the only thing laughable about that is the ridiculous pr.ice I’ve put it out as 👇🏻

Did you know…Certain types of food can play a massive part in our ability to sleep. Whilst is not true that cheese will ...
31/03/2026

Did you know…

Certain types of food can play a massive part in our ability to sleep.

Whilst is not true that cheese will give you nightmares, what cheese does contain is tryptophan (which helps us nod off more easily) and it also contains calcium which is effective in stress reduction (meaning it help lower the hormones in our bodies that are keeping us awake).

Magnesium is also another great benefit for sleep - and can be found in foods like bananas.

Top tip - blending one banana with one cup of milk makes an ideal bedtime drink 💤

Now I know what you are all thinking… this might be the case, but my child won’t eat anything like that!!

Obviously sensory sensitivities and restricted diets are going to add another level of challenge- but it’s just one of the many things I will be covering in tomorrow nights autism sleep foundations workshop

👇🏻
Https://www.autismsleepsuccess.com/sleepworkshop

What is your child like with eating?

I’ll never get used to how special it feels reading your words. Every review tells a story of a family who once felt ov...
30/03/2026

I’ll never get used to how special it feels reading your words.

Every review tells a story of a family who once felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure where to turn and being trusted to support you through that is something I’m always grateful for.

If we’ve worked together, or even if something I’ve shared has helped, you sharing your experience could make such a difference to another parent - so please do pop a comment below ❤️

And if you’re still navigating the hard nights… things can change 👇🏻

Https://autismsleepsuccess.com/connect-with-me

28/03/2026

If bedtime already feels like a battle before it’s even begun, you’re not alone

When your autistic child isn’t sleeping, everything feels harder, but their sleep isn’t broken, it’s just different.

In my Autism Sleep Foundations Workshop, I’ll help you understand the why behind their sleep struggles and show you how to create calmer, more settled nights in a way that actually fits your child.
No pressure. No one-size-fits-all. Just real support and a plan you won’t have to figure out alone.

👉🏻 https://www.autismsleepsuccess.com/sleepworkshop

We start on April 1st (not an April fools I promise!) and I can’t wait to support my next group of sleep deprived parent...
27/03/2026

We start on April 1st (not an April fools I promise!) and I can’t wait to support my next group of sleep deprived parents and help turn lives around!

If you want to get the understanding, strategies and support to make those changes that are going to make real long lasting changes for your autistic child’s sleep then please check out the link in the comments ❤️👌🏻

24/03/2026

I want to share something with you that might completely change how you look at your child’s sleep…?
It might not actually be about the bedtime routine at all!

A lot of autistic children have differences in their circadian rhythm (their body clock)… which basically means their internal “clock” isn’t lined up with the outside world.

So you can end up with a child who is:

✅ Wide awake at night.
✅Struggling to fall asleep even when they’re exhausted.
✅Finding mornings really tough. And everything just feels… out of sync.

But here’s the bit that often gets missed…

Our body clock needs light to know what time it is!

When your child gets natural light first thing in the morning, it helps trigger the release of cortisol (which is what helps us wake up and feel alert).

That then helps set things up for later in the day, including the release of melatonin at night… which is what helps with sleep.

So something as simple as opening the curtains, getting outside, or letting that morning light in can gently start to support your child’s sleep from the very beginning of the day.

It’s not about doing everything perfectly… but these small things can make a really big difference over time.

Because sleep isn’t just about bedtime… it’s about the whole 24 hours and this is exactly the kind of thing I’ll be talking through inside my Autism Sleep Foundations Workshop on April 1st (not an April fools I promise!)

If you’re ready to start understanding what’s really going on with your child’s sleep (and how to support it in a way that actually works for them) just pop “SLEEP” below or send me a message and I’ll share the details with you

Mother’s Day can feel complicated when you’re parenting an autistic child.Because while everyone else is talking about l...
15/03/2026

Mother’s Day can feel complicated when you’re parenting an autistic child.

Because while everyone else is talking about lie-ins, breakfast in bed and a day off…many of us are still doing the routines, the planning, and the emotional heavy lifting that our children rely on every day.

With today being Mother’s Day, I obviously want to wish every mum out there a lovely day but I also want to acknowledge something that doesn’t get talked about enough. For many mums of autistic children, myself included, today will probably look… pretty much like any other day.

The routines still need to happen, the structure still needs to be there, the sensory needs, the planning, the emotional load; non of it pauses just because the calendar says Mother’s Day.

My son has still kept his routine today and gone out with his PAs, and that’s totally fine because what our children need most is for things to stay predictable.

If you are a fellow mum of an autistic child, I want you to know this - you are doing an incredible job. Even on the days when you feel completely overwhelmed, even when you are utterly exhausted, even when the systems that are supposed to support our families feel confusing, frustrating and beyond broken at times.

The love, advocacy, patience and strength you show every single day is extraordinary even if it rarely gets recognised.

Now while I can’t give you breakfast in bed today or a day of rest and relaxation, I can give you the gift of sleep, both for you and your autistic child with my Autism Sleep Foundation Workshop - and it’a at the one time offer of just £19

We start on April 1st (not an April Fool’s, I promise) and inside the workshop we’ll:

✅ Deep dive into why autistic children struggle to settle to sleep
✅ Look at why night wakings happen
✅ And work together to create a personalised sleep plan that actually works for your child and your family

If you’d like the full details, comment below and I’ll send them over to you.

And however today needs to look in your home, whether it’s calm, chaotic, quiet, routine-filled, or somewhere in between I hope you manage to find a small moment for yourself today because you truly deserve it.

Happy Mother’s Day x

It’s one thing knowing you can do a good job, but it makes all the difference when others experience that first hand 🥰
14/03/2026

It’s one thing knowing you can do a good job, but it makes all the difference when others experience that first hand 🥰

14/03/2026

What is a good night’s sleep worth to you?

If you want to work with me for a month, to get your autistic child sleeping better - for less than a pub meal out, comment ME and I’ll send you how you can get those valued nights back 👌🏻

Address

Newquay
Cornwall

Telephone

+447310720883

Website

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