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Children with neurodevelopmental disorders: how do they sleep?

Arianna Belli1, Maria Breda1, Chiara Di Maggio1,2

  • 1Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Human Neurosciences.

Current Opinion in Psychiatry
|February 15, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) experience frequent sleep disturbances, impacting cognitive and behavioral development. Early identification via screening tools is crucial for effective clinical practice.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) exhibit a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances compared to the general pediatric population.
  • Sleep problems in this group are often chronic and exacerbate cognitive and behavioral challenges.
  • Sleep quality is intrinsically linked to other developmental skills, including attention and auditory processing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing evidence on sleep disorders in children with various neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • To highlight the clinical significance of addressing sleep issues in pediatric NDDs.
  • To advocate for the implementation of accessible sleep screening tools in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of available literature on sleep disorders in children with NDDs.
  • Inclusion of specific NDDs such as intellectual disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Developmental Coordination Disorder, language disorders, and specific learning disorders.
  • Analysis of the impact of sleep disturbances on cognitive, behavioral, and family well-being.

Main Results:

  • Sleep disturbances are a common and significant issue for children with NDDs.
  • Chronic sleep problems contribute to further developmental difficulties and affect overall family quality of life.
  • The review underscores the necessity of integrating sleep assessment into routine clinical care for pediatric NDDs.

Conclusions:

  • Addressing sleep disorders is critical for improving the overall health and development of children with NDDs.
  • A simple, memorable sleep screening tool is proposed to facilitate systematic clinical assessment.
  • Early intervention for sleep issues can mitigate associated cognitive and behavioral challenges and enhance family well-being.
Abstract

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