A History of Sleep Difficulties Could Be a Signal that Early Intervention Is Needed in Some Infants
British researchers recently examined the prospective relationship between sleep, attention, and subsequent cognitive and social functioning in toddlers from families with a history of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This research study examined sleep patterns in 164 infants at 5-, 10-, and 14 months with/without a first-degree relative with ASD and/or ADHD who underwent a consensus clinical assessment for ASD at age 3. The authors discovered that in the first two years of life, infants with a family history of ASD demonstrated reduced sleep factor scores, defined by shorter sleep durations, increased night waking, and more difficulty settling down to sleep. By 14 months of age, the study showed that reduced sleep factor scores were associated with an ASD diagnosis at age 3 years. However, the authors did not find reduced sleep factor scores in infants with a family history of only ADHD. The study also revealed lower night sleep scores at 14 months was related to weaker cognitive skills, worse social adaptive functioning, and greater ASD traits in toddlerhood. Additionally, the authors propose that sleep patterns in early infancy predicted changes in social attention related to later cognitive and social outcomes. The team suggests that families with an ASD history observe their infant’s sleep patterns closely and explore early intervention if there is a concern regarding sleep and emerging neurodevelopment.
