Abstract
Accumulating evidence has revealed high rates of sleep disruption among children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Multiple animal and clinical studies have found a clear association between sleep problems and prenatal alcohol exposure, and recent research is beginning to characterize the types and extent of sleep disruption in FASD. Nevertheless, sleep disruption in children with FASD often goes unrecognized or is treated without referring to an evidence base. Children’s disrupted sleep interferes with parental sleep and increases caregiver burden, which is of particular importance for families raising children with FASD, a group with very high levels of caregiving stress. The literature supporting an association between sleep problems and deficits in emotional, behavioral, and cognitive function in children is compelling, but needs further investigation in children with FASD. This paper will review the current state of knowledge on sleep in FASD and recommend a rational approach to sleep interventions for affected children and their families.
Hanlon-Dearman, A., Chen, M.L., & Olson, H.C. (2017). Understanding and managing sleep disruption in children with FASD. Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 96(2), 267-274. https://doi.org/10.1139/bcb-2017-0064
Keywords
- Sleep
- Sleep disruption
- Caregiver stress
Related Articles
- Regulatory behaviors and stress reactivity among infants at high risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders – Jirikowic et al.
- Sleep problems in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders – Chen et al.
