Statements have recurrently been made about the high rate of sleep problems reported in children with autism, particularly difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep at appropriate times of the night and day. Autism itself is frequently associated with the presence of learning disability and a variety of other medical conditions. These often coexisting factors are themselves associated with sleep abnormalities and therefore caution is needed when attempting to assess the relationship between autism and sleep abnormalities. Detailed consideration of the various possible causes of sleep problems is required to reach meaningful diagnostic and treatment decisions. The present account reviews the published work on sleep disturbance and autism, highlighting theoretical and practical issues which need further attention. Methods of assessing and treating sleep disorders are also discussed, with special consideration of factors related to autism which may affect the choice of method.
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