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Prevalence of Sleep Abnormalities in Indian Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

Ravindranath Aathira1, Sheffali Gulati1, Manjari Tripathi2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Pediatric Neurology
|July 26, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently linked to sleep problems, affecting over 77% of children with ASD. Addressing these sleep issues is crucial for improving behavioral outcomes and overall quality of life in children with autism.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence is increasing globally.
  • Sleep disturbances are recognized as significant comorbidities in ASD, impacting management and quality of life.
  • Core ASD symptoms include communication and social interaction impairments, alongside restricted behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of sleep abnormalities in children with ASD.
  • To compare sleep patterns between children with ASD and typically developing children.
  • To explore the relationship between sleep problems and behavioral phenotypes in ASD.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in northern India over two years.
  • Inclusion of children aged 3-10 years diagnosed with ASD and age-matched typically developing controls.
  • Utilized the Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire for sleep evaluation, and polysomnography, Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Childhood Behavioral Checklist, and Developmental Profile 3 for ASD assessment.

Main Results:

  • A high prevalence of poor sleepers (77.5%) was observed in children with ASD compared to controls (29.2%).
  • Polysomnography revealed reduced sleep efficiency, decreased REM and slow-wave sleep duration, and elevated desaturation index in children with ASD.
  • Higher Childhood Behavioral Checklist scores were associated with poor sleepers, while ASD severity scores did not correlate with sleep problems.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep abnormalities are highly prevalent in children with ASD, potentially influencing their behavioral phenotype.
  • Polysomnographic findings offer insights for potential pharmacological interventions for sleep disturbances in ASD.
  • Routine screening for sleep problems is essential for effective management and enhancing the quality of life for children with ASD.
Abstract

Keywords:
ASDCSHQPSGsleep problems

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