Sleep quality and temperament in association with autism spectrum disorder among infants in Japan
Kimiyo Kikuchi1, Takehiro Michikawa2, Seiichi Morokuma3,4
1Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Insights
Infant sleep duration and intense crying at one month may indicate a higher risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Female infants with a bad mood show a significantly increased risk for ASD.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Infant Health
Background:
- Sleep problems and irritable temperaments are frequently observed in infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- Understanding the early predictive markers for ASD is crucial for timely intervention and mechanistic insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between sleep quality and temperament in 1-month-old infants and the subsequent diagnosis of ASD by age 3.
- To examine sex-stratified associations between early infant characteristics and ASD onset.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study utilizing data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study cohort.
- Involved 69,751 mother-infant pairs, assessing sleep and temperament at 1 month and ASD diagnosis by 3 years.
Main Results:
- Longer daytime sleep in infancy was associated with an increased risk of later ASD (RR: 1.33).
- Infants experiencing intense crying showed a higher risk of ASD (RR: 1.31).
- Female infants with a bad mood exhibited a substantially higher risk of ASD (RR: 3.59).
Conclusions:
- Early infant sleep patterns and temperament traits are potential early indicators for ASD risk.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering sex-specific factors in ASD risk assessment.
- The results offer valuable insights for developing future early intervention strategies for ASD.
Background:
Sleep problems and irritable temperaments are common among infants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The prospective association between such sleep problems and irritable temperaments and ASDs needs to be determined for elucidating the mechanism and exploring the future intervention study. Thus, in this study, we investigated whether sleep quality and temperament in 1-month-old infants are associated with the onset of ASD in 3-year-old children. We also assessed its sex-stratified associations.
Methods:
We conducted a longitudinal study using data from 69,751 mothers and infants from a large-cohort study, the Japan Environment and Children's Study. We examined the prospective association between infant sleep quality and temperament at 1 month of age and ASD diagnosis by 3 years of age.
Results:
Here we show infants with longer daytime sleep have a higher risk of later ASD than those with shorter daytime sleep (risk ratio [RR]: 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.75). Infants who experienced intense crying have a higher risk of ASD than those who did not (RR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.00-1.72). There is a difference in sex in the association between a bad mood and later ASD. In particular, female infants experiencing bad moods have a higher risk of ASD than others (RR: 3.59, 95% CI: 1.91-6.75).
Conclusions:
The study findings provide important information for future intervention to reduce the risk of future ASD.
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