Clinical Summary

Early Childhood Sleep Issues Linked to ADHD

Vinrod Rane, BS Pharm | Disclosures

Takeaway

Several sleep problems in early childhood, including shorter night-time sleep duration, higher night awakening frequency, and more irregular sleep routines at 3.5 years, were associated with a higher possible risk of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder at 10 years.
Interleukin-6, but not C-reactive protein, at 9 years mediated the associations between early sleep problems and probable attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder diagnosis at 10 years.

The findings open a new research window into the pathophysiology of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, emphasising sleep and inflammation as potential preventative targets.

This study included 7769 children whose mothers reported data on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder at 10 years, identified from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
Funding: None disclosed.

The risk of probable attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder at 10 years was significantly increased with severe sleep problems at 3.5 years, including (adjusted OR; 95% CI):
- less regular sleep routines (0.51; 0.28 to 0.93; P=0.029);
- shorter night-time sleep duration (0.70; 0.56 to 0.89; P=0.004); and
- higher night awakening frequency (1.27; 1.06 to 1.52; P=0.009).
However, interleukin-6, but not C-reactive protein, at 9 years mediated the association between:
- irregular sleep routines and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (β ─0.002; 95% CI ─0.003 to ─0.001; P=0.005); and
- higher night awakening frequency and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (β ─0.002; 95% CI 0.001 to 0.003; P=0.003).

The time points included in the study were partially determined using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.