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Insomnia in school-age children with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism

Hiie Allik1, Jan-Olov Larsson, Hans Smedje

  • 1Karolinska Institutet, Dept. of Woman and Child Health, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. Hiie.Allik@ki.se

BMC Psychiatry
|May 2, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Insomnia is common in children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA), affecting over 30%. These sleep issues often accompany behavioral and emotional challenges in affected children.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Pediatric sleep medicine
  • Autism spectrum disorders

Background:

  • Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social and communication challenges.
  • Children with AS/HFA often experience sleep disturbances, particularly insomnia.
  • Existing research on sleep problems in childhood AS/HFA is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate sleep-wake behavior in children with AS/HFA.
  • To specifically examine the prevalence and characteristics of insomnia in this population.
  • To explore the association between insomnia and behavioral symptoms in children with AS/HFA.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving 32 children with AS/HFA and 32 typically developing controls (ages 8-12).
  • Sleep patterns were assessed using parent-reported questionnaires, a one-week sleep diary, and actigraphy.
  • Behavioral characteristics were evaluated using parent and teacher rating scales.

Main Results:

  • Children with AS/HFA reported more difficulty initiating sleep and experienced greater daytime sleepiness compared to controls.
  • 31.2% of children with AS/HFA met the criteria for pediatric insomnia, while none of the controls did.
  • Insomnia in children with AS/HFA was associated with increased autistic, emotional, and hyperactivity symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Insomnia is a prevalent and significant issue for children with AS/HFA, as indicated by parental reports.
  • Sleep problems in this population frequently co-occur with behavioral and emotional difficulties.
  • Routine screening and management of sleep disturbances should be integrated into the care plans for children with AS/HFA.
Abstract

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