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The sleep/wake rhythm in children with autism
1Department of Psychology and Intellectual Disability Studies, RMIT, Bundoora, Australia.
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
|July 1, 1995
Summary
Most children with autism experience significant sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep and frequent night waking, particularly before age eight. These sleep disturbances appear specific to autism and may stem from social difficulties or anxiety.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are frequently reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- The specific nature and prevalence of sleep problems in relation to intellectual handicap levels in autism require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare sleep patterns in children with autism (varying intellectual handicap levels) against neurotypical children.
- To identify the types and prevalence of sleep issues in children with autism.
Main Methods:
- Parent-completed sleep diaries and questionnaires were used over 14 days.
- Two groups of children with autism (moderate-to-severe and mild-to-normal IQ) were compared with a control group of children without autism.
Main Results:
- The majority of children with autism experience sleep problems, often severe, during childhood, especially before age 8.
- Common issues include extreme sleep latencies, prolonged night waking, shortened sleep duration, and early morning waking.
- These sleep problems were significantly rarer in non-handicapped children and those with mild intellectual handicaps.
Conclusions:
- Sleep problems are highly prevalent and often severe in children with autism, potentially linked to social deficits and difficulties synchronizing sleep-wake cycles.
- Arousal and anxiety factors may contribute to persistent sleep difficulties in older children with autism and higher IQs.