Abstract
Sleep patterns of 32 school-age children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) were compared to those of 32 typically developing age- and gender-matched children, using parent survey and one week of diary and actigraphic monitoring. Parents of children with AS/HFA more commonly reported that their children had difficulty falling asleep. One week of sleep recording with diary and actigraphy confirmed that children in the AS/HFA group spent a longer time awake in bed before falling asleep than children in the control group, possibly because the children in the AS/HFA group had earlier bedtimes. Other essential aspects of sleep patterns coincided between the groups. The sleep patterns of children with AS and HFA did not differ.
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This research was supported by grants from the Foundation of Majblommans Riksförbund, the Foundation of Samariten, the Märta and Nicke Nasvell Foundation, and the Kempe-Carlgrens Foundation.
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Allik, H., Larsson, JO. & Smedje, H. Sleep Patterns of School-Age Children with Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 36, 585–595 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0099-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0099-9