Sleep in children with Asperger syndrome.
The prevalence of sleep disturbances in 52 children with Asperger syndrome (AS) as compared with 61 healthy controls (all subjects aged 5-17 years) was investigated. Problems with sleep onset and maintenance, sleep-related fears, negative attitudes toward sleeping, and daytime somnolence were more frequent among children with AS than among controls. Short sleep duration (<9 h) was almost twofold (59% vs. 32%), and the risk for sleep onset problems more than fivefold (53% vs. 10%) more common in the AS group than in the control group. Child-reported sleeping problems were also more prevalent in the AS group than in controls (58% vs. 7%). The results suggest that sleep disturbances should be routinely evaluated in children with AS.
Paavonen
E Juulia
EJ
Department of Child Psychiatry, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Lastenlinnantie 2, 00250, Helsinki, Finland. juulia.paavonen@helsinki.fi
Vehkalahti
Kimmo
K
Vanhala
Raija
R
von Wendt
Lennart
L
Nieminen-von Wendt
Taina
T
Aronen
Eeva T
ET
D000293:Adolescent; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires