Sleep disturbances in children with autism spectrum disorder in Lahore, Pakistan; a cross-sectional study

Objective: To assess the frequency of insomnia and other sleep disturbances among children with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: Sleep disturbance scale for children was used in this descriptive cross-sectional study and the parents were asked to fill out the questionnaire along with the consent form. Initial sample size was 97, out of which 93 were included in study. The research was approved by institutional ethics committee of Sharif medical and Dental College. Results: This study showed that 37 (39.8%) children had at least one type of the sleeping disorder. Most common type were insomnia 24 (25.8%) and sleep-awake transition disorders 15 (16.1%), less common were disorders of arousal 10 (10.8%), disorders of excessive somnolence 7 (7.5%), sleep hyperhidrosis 5 (5.4%) and sleep breathing disorders 4 (4.3%). Conclusion: Nearly forty percent of children with autism spectrum disorder suffer from sleep disorders, among which the most frequent was insomnia. Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, insomnia, sleep disorders, children