Abstract
This chapter provides an overview or review of sleep difficulties in autistic people, with an emphasis on children and adolescents. The chapter begins with a brief introduction to autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring conditions. This is followed by a section on sleep difficulties reported as occurring in autism, including insomnia (sleep onset and maintenance) and circadian rhythm sleep disorders (primarily a delayed sleep wake rhythm), and the potential origin of sleep difficulties in this population. The next section considers the association of sleep difficulties with other co-occurring conditions which are common in autistic children: epilepsy, gastrointestinal problems, ADHD, anxiety, behavioral difficulties, and sensory sensitivities. The impact on families is summarized. Behavioral interventions and the use of melatonin are summarized with indications of the benefits of treating sleeping issues for both the child and their family. It is concluded that sleep problems in autistic children may be due to a complex interplay of factors, including biology and behavior, with a need for appropriate and timely assessment and intervention.
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Richdale, A.L. (2022). An Overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sleep Problems, and Their Associations. In: McLay, L.K., France, K.G., Blampied, N.M. (eds) Clinical Handbook of Behavioral Sleep Treatment in Children on the Autism Spectrum. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99134-0_1
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