Sleep Disturbances
Sleep disorders is a common issue faced by children with autism spectrum disorders. Around 40% and 80% of children with ASD suffer from insomnia and troubled sleep. Many theories are suggested that help us explain the association between sleep issues and ASD. Deficiency in tryptophan leads to decreased melatonin production in autistic children. Studies have also shown that some children suffering from autism don’t produce melatonin at the right times of day. They tend to produce large amount of melatonin during the daytime and lower levels at night. This eventually results in daytime sleepiness in children with autism. Sleep studies have also been done on children with ASD but no clear etiology has been found yet.