Sleep quality in children with autism spectrum disorder: a narrative review
Abstract
Sleep disturbances are among the most frequently reported yet inadequately addressed comorbidities in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Affecting an estimated 50–80% of this population, sleep problems in ASD are multifactorial in origin and disproportionately severe compared to typically developing peers. Their consequences extend beyond the affected child to encompass family functioning, caregiver mental health, and child's neurodevelopmental trajectory. A systematic narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar databases. Articles published between 2000 and 2024 were screened using the terms 'autism spectrum disorder,' 'sleep disturbances,' 'sleep quality,' 'children,' 'melatonin,' and 'behavioural sleep interventions.' Original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and evidence-based clinical guidelines were included. Grey literature and single case reports were excluded. The reviewed literature consistently identifies sleep-onset insomnia, frequent nocturnal awakenings, irregular sleep-wake cycles, and reduced total sleep duration as the predominant sleep phenotypes in ASD. Aberrant melatonin synthesis, sensory processing atypicality’s, co-occurring psychiatric conditions, and genetic factors collectively underpin these disturbances. The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and actigraphy remain the most validated assessment tools. Behavioural interventions, particularly parent-delivered sleep…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Tryptophan Metabolism and Gut-Brain Homeostasis
- Rationale for a Multi-Factorial Approach for the Reversal of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease and MCI: A Review
- Prioritized Research for the Prevention, Treatment, and Reversal of Chronic Disease: Recommendations From the Lifestyle Medicine Research Summit
- Relationship between sleep disorders and gut dysbiosis: what affects what?
- The role of CLOCK gene in psychiatric disorders: Evidence from human and animal research
- Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.