Sleep Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Sleep problems are particularly common in children with ASD with prevalence rates ranging from 50 % to 80 % compared with a 9–50 % prevalence rates in agematched typically developing (TD) children. . The relationship between sleep disorders and ASD is complex because circadian abnormalities and epilepsy are strong contributors and have a bidirectional infl uence on sleep of ASD . The importance of these comorbidities with sleep disorders is demonstrated by the signifi cant increasing numbers of papers published during the last two decades, about ASD and sleep. One of the main topic is the role of melatonin in sleep disorders of ASD: It has been reported a disruption and/or reduction of melatonin concentration in urine, plasma, and serum sample both during daytime and nighttime, moreover genes whose products regulate endogenous melatonin and modify sleep patterns have been implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD, and supplemental melatonin has been successfully used to treat sleep onset problems, as evidenced by recent randomized trials in ASD. It is desirable in the next future an early management of sleep disorders in ASD, which may infl uence the prognosis of cognitive and behavioral disabilities. For this reason practical information for clinicians about prevalence, genetic implications, clinical features, diagnostic assessment, and treatment of sleep disorders will be helpful.