GETTING a good night’s sleep is crucial for children’s development.
Poor sleep can affect their mood, behaviour, school performance and overall health. For children with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and ADHD, sleep difficulties are particularly common – and often more challenging for families to manage.
Up to 80 per cent of autistic children experience sleep issues, including difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, or early rising. Without intervention, these issues tend to persist and can contribute to increased stress and mental health struggles for both children and their parents.
TAILORED SLEEP SUPPORT
Behavioural strategies are a first-line approach to improving children’s sleep.
Research has shown that personalised methods – those tailored to each child’s specific needs – can be especially effective. The Sleeping Sound program, originally developed for typically developing children, has been successfully adapted to support children with autism and ADHD.
In a study involving 245 autistic children aged 5-13, families who took part in the Sleeping Sound program – two face-to-face sessions and a follow-up call with a clinician – reported significant improvements in their child’s sleep.
Benefits included reduced sleep problems, better emotional and behavioural functioning in children, and lower stress levels for parents. These improvements lasted up to a year after the intervention.
While the full program is still in a trial phase, it includes strategies that any parent can apply at home.
Because sleep challenges often involve multiple factors, a combination of strategies may work best.
Authors: Nicole Rinehart, Emily Pattison,Nicole Papadopoulos
Adapted from Theconversation.com (First published December 1, 2022)
