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Sleep patterns of school-age children with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism
Hiie Allik1, Jan-Olov Larsson, Hans Smedje
1Department of Woman and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit, Q3:O4, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 76 , Stockholm, Sweden. hiie.allik@ki.se
Insights
Children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) experience more difficulty falling asleep than typically developing peers. However, overall sleep patterns are similar between groups.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Sleep Medicine
- Pediatric Psychology
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are frequently reported in children with neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) are autism spectrum disorders with overlapping characteristics.
- Understanding sleep patterns in AS/HFA is crucial for supporting child development and well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare sleep patterns in school-aged children with AS/HFA versus typically developing children.
- To identify specific sleep difficulties experienced by children with AS/HFA.
- To investigate the relationship between bedtime and sleep onset latency in the AS/HFA group.
Main Methods:
- Utilized parent surveys to gather initial sleep information.
- Employed one week of concurrent diary and actigraphic monitoring for objective sleep data.
- Compared sleep parameters between a group of 32 children with AS/HFA and 32 typically developing controls.
Main Results:
- Parents of children with AS/HFA more frequently reported difficulties initiating sleep.
- Actigraphy and diary data confirmed longer time awake in bed before sleep onset for the AS/HFA group.
- Earlier bedtimes in the AS/HFA group may contribute to increased sleep onset latency.
- Key sleep pattern aspects, beyond sleep initiation, were comparable between groups.
Conclusions:
- Children with AS/HFA exhibit distinct challenges with falling asleep compared to neurotypical children.
- Despite initial sleep onset difficulties, overall sleep architecture appears similar between groups.
- Further research into the factors influencing sleep initiation in AS/HFA is warranted.
Abstract:
Sleep patterns of 32 school-age children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) were compared to those of 32 typically developing age- and gender-matched children, using parent survey and one week of diary and actigraphic monitoring. Parents of children with AS/HFA more commonly reported that their children had difficulty falling asleep. One week of sleep recording with diary and actigraphy confirmed that children in the AS/HFA group spent a longer time awake in bed before falling asleep than children in the control group, possibly because the children in the AS/HFA group had earlier bedtimes. Other essential aspects of sleep patterns coincided between the groups. The sleep patterns of children with AS and HFA did not differ.
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