Common sleep problems faced by children with ASD

Both children and adolescents with and without ASD can experience sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep and waking up during the night. However, research has found that children with ASD have twice as many sleep problems compared to typically developing children, and these problems are more complex.

These children have more difficulty falling asleep, are more likely to wake up during the night and wake up too early, and are more likely to develop disordered breathing and restless leg syndrome. These sleep problems may affect the behaviour, cognition and learning of children with ASD

Some common sleep problems in children with ASD include:

1. Difficulty falling asleep
2. Midnight awakenings and difficulty falling back asleep
3. Short sleep duration
4. Early awakenings
5. Irregular sleep-wake routines

References:

1. Couturier, J. L., Speechley, K. N., Steele, M., Norman, R., Stringer, B. & Nicolson, R. (2005). Parental perception of sleep problems in children of normal intelligence with pervasive developmental disorders: prevalence, severity, and pattern. JAm Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 44(8), 815–822.
2. Krakowiak, P., Goodlin-Jones, B., Hertz-Picciotto, I., Croen, L. A. & Hansen, R. L. (2008). Sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, and typical development: a population-based study. J Sleep Res, 17(2), 197–206.