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Updated: Aug 8, 2025

Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Sleep Problems, Circadian Rhythms, and Their Relation to Behavioral Difficulties in Children and Adolescents with
Elena Martinez-Cayuelas1,2, Teresa Gavela-Pérez3, María Rodrigo-Moreno3
1Department of Pediatrics, Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. elena.martinezc@quironsalud.es.
Abstract:
This was an exploratory cross-sectional study comparing 45 children with ASD to 24 typically developing drug-naïve controls, group-matched on age, sex, and body mass index. Objective data was obtained using the following: an ambulatory circadian monitoring device; saliva samples to determine dim light melatonin onset (DLMO): and three parent-completed measures: the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL); the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R); and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ28). The CBCL and RBS-R scales showed the highest scores amongst poor sleepers with ASD. Sleep fragmentation was associated with somatic complaints and self-injury, leading to a higher impact on family life. Sleep onset difficulties were associated with withdrawal, anxiety, and depression. Those with phase advanced DLMO had lower scores for "somatic complaints"; "anxious/depressed" state; and "social problems", suggesting that this phenomenon has a protective role.
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