5 yr old with sleeping problem?

[SARAH G]

right long story here..... im posting this for my mum she has a 5 yr old daughter(lauren) with autism.... she used to sleep fine right through the night.... but about 3 weeks ago the nightmare started lauren woke up screaming for her dad so he went to see what was wrong ang she wouldnt let him go back down stairs....... this is happening every night now.... she goes to bed at 8pm and will scream that she wants dad so if mum says dads gone out or if dad says im not coming up she will then start screaming she wants mum.....

my mum has just put the phone down on me after an hour long phone call and i could hear laurne in the background...she isnt screamin as crying screaming just shouting things....

it got to the point where her dad was sitting at her bedroom door till she fell asleep but as soon as he gets up to move she wakes up its kind of like she knows hes going??

this cant carry on as my mum works nights and dad works long day hours and they are both so tired at the moment with this

they are both at their wits end and really dont know what to do they have tried buying her a radio,lava lamp. and even the horlicks drink to try and stop this from happening... the next thing they are going to try is buying her a tv?

is there anyone out there who can give me some advice or help on this??

sorry for the long rant but i feel really sorry for my mum and dad