Sleep disturbances in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

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Updated: Sep 26, 2026

Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
10:02

Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Published on: March 12, 2020

Louise Margaret O'Brien1, Anna Ivanenko, Valerie McLaughlin Crabtree

  • 1Kosair Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 571 S. Preston St., Suite 321, Louisville, KY 40202, U.S.A.

Pediatric Research
|May 9, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show distinct sleep patterns. Sleep clinic referrals with ADHD exhibit more periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMa) compared to community samples.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
  • Sleep disturbances are frequently reported in children with ADHD, but specific polysomnographic differences between clinical and community samples are not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare polysomnographic sleep patterns in preadolescent children diagnosed with ADHD from a sleep clinic referral group and a community sample against a control group.
  • To investigate potential differences in sleep architecture and movement disorders between ADHD subtypes and typically developing children.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, observational study involving overnight polysomnography.
  • Participants included 47 children with ADHD referred to a sleep clinic (ADHDcl), 53 children with ADHD from a community survey (ADHDcom), and 49 control children.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences were found in rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep latency and percentage, and periodic limb movement index with associated arousals (PLMa).
  • REM sleep latency was shorter in controls compared to both ADHD groups (p < 0.01). REM% was highest in controls and lowest in ADHDcl (p < 0.001).
  • PLMa was significantly higher in the ADHDcl group than in ADHDcom and control groups (p < 0.001), with no difference between ADHDcom and controls.

Conclusions:

  • ADHD is associated with significant alterations in polysomnographic sleep patterns.
  • Children with ADHD referred to sleep clinics (ADHDcl) are more likely to exhibit elevated PLMa compared to community-based ADHD samples (ADHDcom).
  • REM sleep parameters are affected in ADHD, suggesting ADHDcl may represent a subgroup at higher risk for sleep-related hyperactivity.

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