title: Sleep patterns in school-age children with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism: a follow-up study.
abstract: The course of sleep patterns over 2-3 years was compared between 16 school-age children with Asperger syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA) and 16 age- and gender-matched typically developing children, using 1-week actigraphy at baseline and follow-up. At baseline (mean age 11.1 years), children with AS/HFA had longer sleep latency and lower sleep efficiency during school days, but earlier sleep start and sleep end during weekends. At follow-up (mean age 13.7 years), children with AS/HFA had longer night wakings and lower sleep efficiency during weekends than the controls. The overall change of sleep patterns, however, is similar in children with AS/HFA and typically developing controls over a 2 to 3-year period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit, Q3:O4, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden. hiie.allik@ki.se
authors.forename: Hiie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Allik
authors.forename: Jan-Olov
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smedje
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020189:Nocturnal Myoclonus Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index