Sleep among presentations of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Analysis of objective and subjective measures

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Sleep Medicine
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
• Sleep disturbances are frequently reported in children with ADHD, but objective data across different ADHD presentations are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare subjective and objective sleep patterns in children with different Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) presentations.
• To determine if ADHD subtype influences sleep quantity, quality, or fragmentation.

Main Methods:

• 92 children (aged 7-11) diagnosed with ADHD (Inattentive, Hyperactive/Impulsive, Combined) were assessed.
• Subjective sleep was measured using the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS), and sleep diaries.
• Objective sleep was evaluated using polysomnography to assess sleep quantity, quality, and fragmentation.

Main Results:

• Subjective reports indicated impaired sleep in 12.7% of the children.
• No significant differences in objective or subjective sleep variables were found across the different ADHD presentations.
• Sleep fragmentation data suggested poorer sleep continuity in the ADHD-Hyperactive/Impulsive group, and sleep was found to be affected by age.

Conclusions:

• Parent-reported sleep breathing problems and daytime sleepiness can occur in children with ADHD, irrespective of total sleep time or efficiency.
• Sleep patterns in children with ADHD do not appear to significantly vary based on the specific ADHD presentation.
• Sleep characteristics in children with ADHD demonstrate an age-related evolution.