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Sleep behavior of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during the Covid-19 pandemic: A Parent survey
V Scarselli1, M Martucci1, F Prono1
1Child Neuropychiatry Unit, Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
Insights
Sleep disturbances are common in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). During the Covid-19 pandemic, a supportive environment and predictable routines helped manage sleep habits in autistic children.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Public Health Crises
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) involves social, communication, and behavioral challenges.
- Children with ASD frequently experience comorbidities, notably sleep disorders.
- The Covid-19 pandemic posed unique risks to children with ASD due to routine disruption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sleep habits in children with ASD during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- To assess the impact of pandemic-related changes on sleep in this population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) administered to parents.
- Collected data on sleep habits before and during the pandemic.
Main Results:
- 89.3% of children with ASD exhibited scores above 41 on the CSHQ during the pandemic.
- 11 children maintained clinically significant sleep disturbance scores from before the pandemic.
Conclusions:
- Sleep disturbances are prevalent in children with ASD during pandemics.
- Supportive environments, including parent training and tele-rehabilitation, are crucial.
- Predictable routines can mitigate stress, anxiety, and behavioral issues in autistic individuals.
Introduction:
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by social interaction and communication deficits and restricted, repetitive interests and behaviors (1). It is very common for children with ASD to present with several comorbidities, including sleep disorders. During the Covid-19 pandemic, children with ASD have been particularly at risk of adverse effects because of their difficulties in adapting to changes in daily habits and routines.
Methods And Aim:
Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate sleep habits during the Covid-19 pandemic by administering the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) to parents.
Results:
Twenty-five children of 28 (89.3%) had a score above 41 during the pandemic. Of these, 11 children also had clinically signifi-cant scores before the pandemic.
Discussion:
Our data confirm that sleep disturbances have been very common in autistic children during the Covid-19 pandemic and suggest new considerations. In particular, in our clinical sample, sleep habits seemed to improve or not change significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic in a population with a high prevalence of cli-nically significant sleep disturbances. These data confirm that in this particular context, a supportive environment (family, parent training, tele-rehabilitation) is very important for autistic people and a predicta-ble routine can help prevent stress, anxiety, and behavioral problems.
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