The bidirectional association between sleep problems and autism spectrum disorder: a population-based cohort study.
Maria E Verhoeff, Laura M E Blanken, Desana Kocevska and 6 others
PMID 29423134WHAT IT FOUND
Sleep problems in toddlers did not predict later autistic traits once early traits were considered.
Autistic traits and ASD in childhood were linked to more sleep problems later, and sleep problems increased over time in children with ASD.
Key findings
01Sleep problems in toddlers did not predict later autistic traits once early autistic traits were considered.
02Autistic traits and ASD in childhood were associated with more sleep problems at later ages.
03Children whose sleep problems increased over time were more likely to have ASD.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Sleep problems were reported by mothers, not measured objectively. The first autistic trait measure was at 1.5 years, so very early onset may have been missed. Children with ASD were slightly more likely to be lost to follow-up. Different questionnaires were used at different ages, so the early trait adjustment may not perfectly match later measures. The age-9 sleep score was built from selected items and was less reliable.
Declared interests
Funding was provided by Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Erasmus Medisch Centrum, European Commission, and Simons Foundation. The supplied text does not list author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that treating sleep problems will reduce autistic traits. The study found no evidence that early sleep problems predicted later autistic traits after early autistic traits were considered; it only shows autistic traits and ASD were followed by more sleep problems.