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Updated: Oct 29, 2025

Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on sleep in children with autism spectrum disorders
Oliviero Bruni1, Maria Grazia Melegari1, Maria Breda2
1Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Study Objectives:
The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on sleep of participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was assessed.
Methods:
Parents of 111 children and adolescents with ASD filled out an anonymous online survey shared via social media, investigating the sleep patterns and disturbances before and during the lockdown.
Results:
The lockdown changed significantly the bedtime on weekdays in 57.8% of participants with ASD (56.9% delayed; 0.9% advanced) and the rise time in 69.2% (61.7% delayed and 7.5% advanced). Sleep duration varied on weekdays in 49.1% (24.1% increased; 25% decreased). During the lockdown, participants with ASD showed a significant increase of sleep disturbances, compared to the preceding period, especially falling asleep (35.1% vs 22.5%), anxiety at bedtime (22.5% vs 10.8%), sleep terrors (5.4% vs 0%), and daytime sleepiness (14.4% vs 3.6%).
Conclusions:
Lockdown affected sleep of patients with ASD, showing an increase of difficulty in falling asleep, anxiety at bedtime, sleep terrors, and daytime sleepiness. The outbreak of COVID-19 significantly worsened sleep disturbances of children with ASD.
Citation:
Bruni O, Melegari MG, Breda M, et al. Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on sleep in children with autism spectrum disorders. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(1):137-143.
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