My son has co-slept with us since we brought him home from the NICU weighing 3lbs. 14oz. We figured by the time he was 2-3, this would end.

He's now 10 years old, has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS on the Autism spectrum, and we can't get him out of our room/bed. He had been falling asleep in his room, only to wake a couple of hours later and come into our room. Now, since we began talking about him staying in his room all night, he suddenly cannot fall asleep unless he's in our bed.

He has been, up til now, a fantastic sleeper. He napped until 5 years old, starting sleeping through the night at 2 months corrected.

I believe he's obsessing about our declaration "no more sleeping in our bed". I am out of ideas on how to fix this and it's causing great stress on my husband, too. After 10 years, we'd like our bed back.

Our 7 year old daughter has also co-slept since birth, but she's much easier to redirect into her bedroom in the middle of the night.

Am I going to have to just stay up all night with him, redirecting him until he gets it? Has anyone with an autistic child (granted, he's on the less severe end of the spectrum) gotten them out of the parent's bed? Is this ever going to end?

Thank you so much for any advice---it is desperately needed!