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Children with autism: effect of iron supplementation on sleep and ferritin

Cara F Dosman1, Jessica A Brian, Irene E Drmic

  • 1Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. cdosman@telus.net

Pediatric Neurology
|March 14, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Iron supplementation significantly improved restless sleep in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This pilot study suggests a link between iron deficiency and sleep issues in ASD, highlighting the need for ongoing screening.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Nutritional Neuroscience
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • Iron deficiency, indicated by low serum ferritin, may be linked to these sleep issues.
  • Dietary iron intake is often insufficient in children with ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between low serum ferritin and sleep disturbance in children with ASD.
  • To assess the efficacy of oral iron supplementation in improving sleep in this population.
  • To evaluate iron intake and ferritin levels in children with ASD.

Main Methods:

  • An 8-week open-label pilot study involving oral iron supplementation.
  • Participants: 33 children with ASD who completed the study.
  • Assessments included the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children, Food Records, and blood sample analysis (ferritin, mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin) at baseline and posttreatment.

Main Results:

  • Seventy-seven percent of children experienced restless sleep at baseline, which significantly improved with iron therapy.
  • Mean serum ferritin levels increased from 16 microg/L to 29 microg/L posttreatment.
  • Mean corpuscular volume and hemoglobin also showed significant increases, indicating improved iron status.

Conclusions:

  • Iron therapy significantly improved sleep disturbances in children with ASD, suggesting a link to iron deficiency.
  • Insufficient dietary iron intake is prevalent in preschoolers and school-aged children with ASD.
  • Children with ASD require continuous screening for iron deficiency due to persistent low ferritin levels from preschool to school age.

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