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Parental rating of sleep in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Allan Hvolby1, Jan Jørgensen, Niels Bilenberg

  • 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric Centre Vest, Region West, Esbjerg, Denmark. allan.hvolby@pcv.regionsyddanmark.dk

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
|February 12, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience more sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep and unsettled sleep, compared to healthy peers. These findings highlight the importance of assessing sleep in children diagnosed with ADHD.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Sleep problems are frequently reported in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  • Parental reports indicate higher rates of sleep difficulties in children with ADHD and their families compared to healthy controls.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the sleep patterns and problems of 5 to 11-year-old children diagnosed with ADHD.
  • To utilize parental reports and sleep questionnaires for data collection.

Main Methods:

  • Included 321 children aged 5-11 years (45 with ADHD, 64 with other psychiatric diagnoses, 212 healthy).
  • Used Kiddie-SADS-PL for DSM-IV diagnosis of ADHD and comorbidities.
  • Assessed sleep difficulties using the Children Sleep Behaviour Scale.

Main Results:

  • Children with ADHD exhibited a significantly higher incidence of sleep problems.
  • Bedtime resistance and unsettled sleep were more prevalent in the ADHD group.
  • Prolonged sleep onset latency was observed in children with ADHD, but total sleep time and awakenings did not differ significantly.

Conclusions:

  • Parental reports confirm increased sleep disturbances in children with ADHD.
  • Children with ADHD frequently experience issues with bedtime resistance, sleep onset latency, unsettled sleep, and nightmares.
  • Clinicians should consider evaluating sleep difficulties in children with ADHD.
Abstract

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