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Causes of sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

Causes of sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

Causes of sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

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Causes of sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

30 Sep 2020
Sleep problems in children with autism have many causes and are often multifactorial.
 
Common causes of sleep problems include neurobiological causes, medical causes (psychiatry and medications), and behavioral causes.
 
 
There are several theories about the etiology of sleep disorders in children with autism:
 
1. Deficiency in receiving social cues: Although people prepare for sleep based on the natural cycle of light, darkness, and circadian rhythms, they also use social cues. For example, children may see and imitate their family members preparing for bed. Lack of communication and lack of spontaneous symptoms are the main problems of children with autism.
 
۲. Deficiency of melatonin in the body: This hormone helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle in the body. To make this hormone, the body needs an amino acid called tryptophan, which research has shown is higher or lower than normal in children with autism. Normally, melatonin levels decrease during the day and increase at night. Studies have shown that in some children with autism spectrum disorder, this hormone is not released at the right time, in fact, the level of this hormone increases during the day and decreases during the night.
 
3. Hypersensitivity to external stimuli: Due to the high sensitivity of some children with autism to external stimuli such as touch, sound or light, these children may wake up with the slightest stimulus during sleep and express discomfort or mood swings.
 
4. Anxiety: Another effective factor in sleep is the amount of anxiety in a person. According to research, children with autism spectrum disorder have higher levels of anxiety.
 
Lack of good quality sleep at night can affect a child's daily life and health. Research has shown that there is a significant relationship between lack of proper sleep in children with autism with aggression, hyperactivity, increased behavioral problems, mood swings, irritability, poor learning and cognitive functions, and poor sleep quality in their parents.

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