Investigation Of Sleep Problems In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Objective: to investigate the sleep problems of children with autism spectrum disorders(ASD)by filling in the questionnaire and provide a new direction for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.Methods: According to diagnostic criteria of the fifth edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,239 children who have been diagnosed as ASD,and 180 age-and gender-matched normal children were enrolled in this study.Questionnaire of general demographic information and the sleep questionnaire were conducted on two groups of children,and the sleep problems and differences on sleep habits of two groups of children were compared.Results: The incidence of insomnia(sleep duration,bedtime resistance,sleep anxiety,sleep onset delay,night wakings),sleep disordered breathing(snore),parasomnias,daytime sleepiness in ASD children were higher than that in the normal children(P < 0.05),and the severity of ASD children is also higher than that of the normal children(P< 0.05).Conclusion: ASD children have more sleep problem than normalchildren,and severity is also more serious.