AI Article Synopsis

  • Sleep difficulties are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but it's unclear if they lead to or result from the disorder.
  • A study involving 5,151 children tracked sleep patterns and autistic traits to see how they relate over time.
  • Results showed that while early sleep issues aren't linked to worsening autistic traits, children with ASD tend to experience increasing sleep problems as they age, suggesting sleep issues are part of ASD rather than a precursor.

Article Abstract

Background: Sleep difficulties are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The temporal nature of the association between sleep problems and ASD is unclear because longitudinal studies are lacking. Our aim is to clarify whether sleep problems precede and worsen autistic traits and ASD or occur as a consequence of the disorder.

Methods: Repeated sleep measures were available at 1.5, 3, 6, and 9 years of age in 5151 children participating in the Generation R Study, a large prospective birth cohort in the Netherlands. Autistic traits were determined with the Pervasive Developmental Problems score (PDP) of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at 1.5 and 3 years and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) at 6 years. This cohort included 81 children diagnosed with ASD.

Results: Sleep problems in early childhood were prospectively associated with a higher SRS score, but not when correcting for baseline PDP score. By contrast, a higher SRS score and an ASD diagnosis were associated with more sleep problems at later ages, even when adjusting for baseline sleep problems. Likewise, a trajectory of increasing sleep problems was associated with ASD.

Conclusions: Sleep problems and ASD are not bidirectionally associated. Sleep problems do not precede and worsen autistic behavior but rather co-occur with autistic traits in early childhood. Over time, children with ASD have an increase in sleep problems, whereas typically developing children have a decrease in sleep problems. Our findings suggest that sleep problems are part of the construct ASD.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5791216PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13229-018-0194-8DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

sleep problems
48
sleep
14
problems
13
autistic traits
12
association sleep
8
autism spectrum
8
spectrum disorder
8
problems asd
8
problems precede
8
precede worsen
8

Similar Publications

Chronic insomnia is one of the most common health problems among veterans and can significantly impact health, function, and quality of life. Brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI), an adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), was developed to help increase access to care outside of specialty settings. However, training providers alone is rarely sufficient, and implementation strategies are needed for successful uptake, adoption, and sustainable delivery of care.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

First Episode Psychosis in a Teen with Narcolepsy and Cataplexy.

Psychopharmacol Bull

January 2025

Abhishek Reddy, MD, Assistant Professor, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sleep Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, United States.

Narcolepsy with cataplexy (NT1) is a sleep disorder very rarely associated with early-onset psychosis. The incidence of this association is unknown but appears to be more common in children and adolescents. This combination of diagnoses presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a critical public health problem leading to significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic losses. Despite known risk factors like substance use and sleep-related problems, there is limited research on the prevalence of these factors among drivers who met with RTAs. Hence, this study aimed to gain insight into the prevalence of substance use and sleep-related problems among this population attending a trauma center in the northern State of India.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) impairs exercise capacity after myocardial infarction (MI).

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of SDB on the efficacy of post-MI cardiac rehabilitation (CR).

Methods: The study evaluated consecutive patients up to 28 days after MI who participated in outpatient CR as part of the Polish Managed Care after Acute Myocardial Infarction program.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To assess the post-earthquake trauma and hopelessness levels of nursing students due to the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023.

Methods: This study was conducted between April and May 2023 in the Nursing Department in a province located in Southeastern Türkiye using the face-to-face interview technique. The study was completed with 276 students in line with the power analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!