No he has always been like that as he sleeps. He doesn't snore or toss and turn. He had an eeg done when he was younger. He does wake up to get food in the middle of the night though. He started to have grandmal seizures around the same time this started. I have talked to the drs rrepeatedly about his sleeping habits because I know what little to no sleep will do. They just kept saying the same things...use white noise, a fan, try melatonin, etc...

He takes seroquel to help with this. He started on it to help him sleep. Even when he was a baby hecdidnt sleep very much. Up until about almost a year ago he only slept about 2 hrs a night and at least every to every other week he would 24-72hrs with no sleep. But since he started on the seroquel he sleeps about 4-6 hrs a night. He will still have nights with no sleep.
He has auditory hallucinations that are becoming visual also. He has built a world around it that helps him deal with it. It comes at sll hours of the day/night. He says it hurts him and he can feel it when hes not in the world. Thats how I first found out...he was complaining of his back hurting and that there was a scratch there but there was nothing. So I got to asking questions in different ways..that he understood...and thats how I found out about it.

Some may suffer from compounding symptoms that are schizophreniea. like symptoms for instance if you have had prolonged issues with sleep. that many autistic children and adults suffer with sleep disorders this can also cause hallucinations, irritibilty depression, mood swings, and memory lose. There are many drug therapies to try if you are tracking symptoms such as this. it is wise to rule out Sleep apnea seek an EEG of the brain, Sleep disorders can also cause schizophrenia like symptomology.

and example of a drug therapy for Autism related / schizophrenia would be
Risperidone adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate is indicated for the treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder. Efficacy was established in one short-term trial in adults [see Clinical Studies (14.3)].

Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder

Pediatrics

Risperidone is indicated for the treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder, including symptoms of aggression towards others, deliberate self-injuriousness, temper tantrums, and quickly changing moods. Efficacy was established in 3 short-term trials in children and adolescents.

so added information to talk to your doctor about TRACK your childs behavior/ mood/ eating/ Bowles. and sleeping.

How about constipation and how often is he ill with fevers? His brain is over stimulated it can be a parasite, or bacterial issue or issues with the enzymes in the gut.. if he has leaky gut that can also cause issues..like neuralgia pain in the muscles, has he ever reported aches and pains ! you mentioned the back.. but does he have headaces or migrane that will also keep the brain active .. some suggestions for today ..you can get a Lava lamp or a beta fish with a night light behind it to help him zone out.. use message before bed or a message chair may help relax him..I pinned some toy sensory ideas recently on the pin board.. some visual aids like bio- feed back pictures on the wall with a tape playing of the ocean may help.. or a place he likes, I am going to add a snippet of some research that is being looked at as insights to what his body may be experiencing..if he has a immunodeficeny, thyroid issue

A Nobel Prize-winning University of Utah geneticist discovered that bone marrow transplants cure mutant mice who pull out their hair compulsively. The study provides the first cause-and-effect link between immune system cells and mental illness, and points toward eventual new psychiatric treatments. "We're showing there is a direct relationship between a psychiatric disorder and the immune system, specifically cells named microglia that are derived from bone marrow" and are found in the brain, says Mario Capecchi, a distinguished professor of human genetics at the University of Utah School of Medicine. "There's been an inference. But nobody has previously made a direct connection between the two."

The findings – published in the Friday, May 28 issue of the journal Cell – should inspire researchers "to think about potential new immune-based therapies for psychiatric disorders," says Capecchi, a 2007 Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine.

Laurey can you remember him any differently before the epsidodes of schizophrenia like symptoms ? for example was there a time when he did sleep? , Also the not sleeping is a Huge piece of his mind playing tricks on him. If you can get the sleep better understood.. and meet you will have a different child.. Have you had a sleep test done on him ? A EEG or a Apnea test. Do you notice him snoreing? does he have Asthma? and does he toss and turn when he is sleeping? Does he wake frequently to go to the bathroom ?if you have severe apnea you can get those symptoms of hallucinaitons, mood swings, depression , back and muscle problems. headaches, migraines . If you have not done them Perhaps those test be considered, perhaps he may have an obstruction. Another thing to consider and look closer at would be any issue with his GI tract.. Constipation that is long standing or sever will also cause that ..Does he complain of stomach issues Does he have frequent constipation ? that can also cause issues with the brain, things that will help with that are Pro-biotocs and Omega 3 rich foods. Fiber. look and see if he has a major food allergie that too can cause the lots of issues.