SLEEP DISTURBANCES IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN MALAYSIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.25/no.2/art.2811Keywords:
autism spectrum disorder, sleep disturbances, childrenAbstract
Sleep disturbances among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could potentially be involved in a developmental sequence for children who are later diagnosed with ASD, according to some research. It has been revealed that this population has a greater prevalence of sleep disturbances than the overall population. Identifying sleep disturbances in children with ASD may raise awareness and improve the healthcare services provided to them. This study aims to identify the age factors that are correlated with sleep disturbance among ASD children. A cross-sectional study was undertaken involving 62 children with ASD, ranging in age from three to seventeen years, who participated in the research. The sleep disturbances were analyzed using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC). Approximately 27 children (43.5%) had sleep disturbances, with difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS) being the highest prevalence at 24 (38.7%). The subscales of sleep disturbances showed no correlation with age. However, there is a significant difference between age and total score of sleep disturbances (p<0.05). The incidence of sleep disturbances is notably increased among Malaysian children diagnosed with ASD, particularly with difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS). There is also a significant difference between age and the overall score of sleep disturbances. This finding may therefore shed light on areas requiring attention from clinicians and caregivers of ASD children to address sleep disturbances.
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