Autistic children are more likely to have sleep disorders

Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a condition known as autism , are more likely to have difficulty sleeping, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics .

This difficulty was already known to science. However, the new research sought to compare this relationship with sleep between autistic children aged 2 to 5 years and other children with some type of developmental delay.

During the research, the small patients were also compared with other volunteers of the same age, who had no developmental changes whatsoever.

As a result, scientists observed that children with autism are twice as likely to have a sleep problem as any other participants.

In the list of disorders that can affect these children are problems in the sleep stages, seizures and low levels of melatonin (sleep regulating hormone).

Contents

How to improve sleep for children with autism?

From the discovery of scientists, concerns about the health of little ones arise, since a good night’s sleep is essential for their development and quality of life.

Check out some tips that can help children sleep more easily:

Sleeping routine

One of the childish behaviors that signal autism is repetition. So it is important to maintain a routine hours before your child goes to bed, and repeat them every day so that they can get used to it.

Another important factor is to accustom the child to sleep alone. So, be with her in the first few minutes, read a good story, and when you identify that sleep is coming, this is the time to leave the scene.

Comfort room

But to sleep, it is essential that the child has a safe and comfortable environment to rest. It is important that the place is free of noise, without the movement of cars, people talking and television on.

Prefer a cozy room, as the child must find a pleasant lighting and temperature adjusted to the outside.

No to mobile, tablet or TV

The use of electronic devices at night can be a villain for the child to fall asleep. In addition, the excessive use of technologies hampers processes of social interaction, which can be even more harmful for ASD patients.

Read more: Children on mobile: overuse causes developmental delay

Physical activities

It is common that in childhood, children have a lot of energy to spend. Basically, the practice of physical activities must be balanced with her lifestyle.

Therefore, it is important that at some point in the day she performs activities such as swimming, football and hiking. With that she will spend all her energy, and will need to replenish with a good night’s sleep.

Read more: Music improves communication for children with autism


The routine of a patient with ASD should involve some care. For this, parents need to be attentive and dedicate quality time to their children.

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