scholarly journals Sleeping Patterns in Children with Developmental Disabilities

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-38

ntroduction: Sleep is one of the most important components of overall health. Children with developmental disabilities are at a higher risk of having sleep problems. Purpose: The goal of the present study is to compare sleep patterns of children with developmental disabilities with those of typically developing children. In particular, we examined whether children with an intellectual disability (ID), children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing children differ in sleep duration, number of night’s waking, screen time (time spent on smartphones, tablets, TV), and outdoor activities. Methods: The sample for this study consisted of 114 children (34 children with ASD, 40 children with ID and 40 typically developing children) aged 2 to 14 years (mean age= 6.4 years, SD = 3.0). Information on children’s sleep patterns was obtained through an online survey completed by the parents of the children. We also collected information regarding the strategies parents use to settle their children for sleep, as well as information regarding screen time and outdoor activities. Results: The results of this study indicate that sleep duration was shortest for children with ID and longest for children without developmental disabilities. Another finding in this study is that screen time and not the outdoor activities was associated with sleep duration. Children with ASD were more likely to use melatonin to fall asleep, while the children with ID were more likely to use medications. Conclusion: Children with ID have shorter sleep duration than children with ASD and typically developing children. Parents have several cognitive and behavioural strategies at their disposal to improve their children’s sleep.

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Sormanti ◽  
Michelle S. Ballan

Although a sizable literature investigates and describes children’s grief, the majority of information focuses on typically developing children. Far less has been published about the loss and grief of children with developmental disabilities (DD), even though this population experiences significant and multiple losses, increasing their vulnerability to negative outcomes. Addressing this gap in scholarship, this article explicates common losses and important grief-related challenges experienced by children with DD. An overview of practice guidelines is provided to enhance the efforts of school-based mental health professionals in supporting this vulnerable population.


2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 59-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn T. Furuta ◽  
Nancy Creskoff Maune ◽  
Angela Haas

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a recently recognized inflammatory disease that is characterized by upper intestinal symptoms and dense eosinophilia of the esophageal mucosa. Food refusal, dysphagia, and reduced volume and variety of intake are common symptoms associated with eosinophilic esophagitis in children (Furuta et al., 2007; Spergel, 2007). Accurate diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis is frequently missed as many of its features are similar to other gastrointestinal diseases (Aceves, Furuta, & Spechler, 2008). Oftentimes, before this diagnosis is made, a feeding specialist is the first contact for these children in response to their eating difficulties. Gastroenterologists, allergists, feeding specialists, dietitians, psychologists, and social workers are now collaborating to provide integrated, comprehensive care for optimal diagnosis and treatment of children with eosinophilic esophagitis. In the general population, feeding difficulties are present in 25% of typically developing children and in 75-80% of children with developmental disabilities (Eicher, 1997; Iwata, Riordan, Wohl, & Finney, 1982; Kedesky & Budd, 1998; Kerwin, Ahearn, Eicher, & Burd, 1995; Lefton-Greif & Arvedson, 2007). Although prevalence numbers for feeding issues in children with eosinophilic esophagitis are unknown, it is anticipated that the prevalence will fall closer to that of children with developmental disabilities.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Celal Perihan ◽  
Mack D. Burke ◽  
Lisa Bowman-Perrott ◽  
Joel Bocanegra

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of current studies that assess and treat anxiety symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). More specifically the study aimed to answer the following questions: What are the qualities of the current studies using cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs) to treat anxiety symptoms in children with ASD? Did studies make necessary modifications and adaptations to CBTs according to the evidence-based strategies and implement these versions of CBTs with precise fidelity? Were the selected measurements appropriate for assessing the anxiety symptoms in children with ASD? Design/methodology/approach A systematic review protocol was developed from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (Moher et al., 2009). A rubric was adapted based on the CEC (Council for Exceptional Children; Cook, 2014) group comparison studies standards and the Evaluative Method for Determining EBP in Autism (Reichow et al., 2007). The 3-point Likert Scale (Chard et al., 2009) was adapted to score each study based on the rubric. Findings CBT is a first-line treatment with significant mixed results. Current studies use adapted versions of existing CBTs for children with ASD without reporting empirical evidence to these adaptations and changes. Reporting of the implementation fidelity is still an issue in the treatment of anxiety. Anxiety measurements that were designed for typically developing children failure to detect unusual anxiety symptoms in children with ASD. Research limitations/implications The first limitation of this study was including a variety of studies across CBT programs and types of anxiety symptoms. Types of anxiety and CBT treatments may require separate analyses with specific indicators. Due to the limited studies, reviews could not be analyzed across types of CBT programs. The second limitation was the types of studies. Most of the studies were pilot studies. Pilot studies might use various instruments and CBTs components for making selections to produce the best effects and results. The final limitation was the lack of examination of the data analysis process. Originality/value These findings are important because due to the variety of changes or adaptation to CBTs, inappropriate implementations and failure to detect unusual anxiety symptoms of children with ASD may cause significant differences in treatment responses and outcomes. The study demonstrated that the majority of the studies used adapted versions of existing CBTs without reporting empirical evidence for these adaptations and changes. The findings have shown that reporting of the implementation fidelity is still an issue. Moreover, the majority of studies had used anxiety measurements that were designed for typically developing children, not for children with ASD.


Author(s):  
Tricia M. Roberts ◽  
Ana-Maria Roberts ◽  
Ladson Hinton ◽  
Murat Pakyurek

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 102
Author(s):  
Emily Habelrih ◽  
Richard Hicks ◽  
Daisy Vanstone

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) include pervasive developmental disorders characterised by communication deficits, difficulty with social understanding, and repetitive behaviors. Few studies have compared the efficacy, affect, and coping strategies of siblings of typically developing children with siblings of children with ASD. Typically developing siblings are understood to be at an increased risk of externalising and internalising problems. The current study examined whether siblings of children with ASD differed in levels of efficacy, affect, and coping from siblings of typically developing children. Participants (156) included an Australia-wide sample involving 82 siblings of children with ASD, and 74 siblings of typically developing individuals. Participants completed The Self-Efficacy Scale for Children (assessing social, emotional, and academic efficacy), the Positive and Negative Affect Scales, the Brief COPE Scale, and other scales as part of the larger study. Results showed that ASD siblings reported lower scores on emotional efficacy, social efficacy, and positive affect, and higher negative affect, than did the comparison group siblings. However, no significant differences were found in coping strategies or academic efficacy between the ASD siblings and the typically developing siblings. Consistent with earlier research findings, there are perceived negative effects or risks from being a sibling of an individual with ASD, suggesting support interventions may assist the development of emotional and social efficacy and increased positive affect for these individuals.


2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 373-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wing-Chee So ◽  
Ming Lui ◽  
Tze-Kiu Wong ◽  
Long-Tin Sit

Purpose The current study examined whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in comparison with typically developing children, perceive and produce gestures to identify nonpresent objects (i.e., referent-identifying gestures), which is crucial for communicating ideas in a discourse. Method An experimenter described the uses of daily-life objects to 6- to 12-year-old children both orally and with gestures. The children were then asked to describe how they performed daily activities using those objects. Results All children gestured. A gesture identified a nonpresent referent if it was produced in the same location that had previously been established by the experimenter. Children with ASD gestured at the specific locations less often than typically developing children. Verbal and spatial memory were positively correlated with the ability to produce referent-identifying gestures for all children. However, the positive correlation between Raven's Children Progressive Matrices score and the production of referent-identifying gestures was found only in children with ASD. Conclusions Children with ASD might be less able to perceive and produce referent-identifying gestures and may rely more heavily on visual–spatial skills in producing referent-identifying gestures. The results have clinical implications for designing an intervention program to enhance the ability of children with ASD to communicate about nonpresent objects with gestures.


2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 971-1002 ◽  
Author(s):  
HANADY BANI HANI ◽  
ANA MARIA GONZALEZ-BARRERO ◽  
APARNA S. NADIG

ABSTRACTThis study examined two facets of the use of social cues for early word learning in parent–child dyads, where children had an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or were typically developing. In Experiment 1, we investigated word learning and generalization by children with ASD (age range: 3;01–6;02) and typically developing children (age range: 1;02–4;09) who were matched on language ability. In Experiment 2, we examined verbal and non-verbal parental labeling behaviors. First, we found that both groups were similarly able to learn a novel label using social cues alone, and to generalize this label to other representations of the object. Children who utilized social cues for word learning had higher language levels. Second, we found that parental cues used to introduce object labels were strikingly similar across groups. Moreover, parents in both groups adapted labeling behavior to their child's language level, though this surfaced in different ways across groups.


Author(s):  
Benjamin L. Handen ◽  
Johanna Taylor ◽  
Rameshwari Tumuluru

Abstract One of the most frequently reported behavioral concerns among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is high rates of activity and inattention, symptoms that are often associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although there is a considerable body of research regarding the appropriate treatment of ADHD symptoms among typically developing children, the research among children with ASD is more limited. The evidence to date suggests that medication response rates among children with ASD are considerably lower than among typically developing children and that children with ASD tend to be at greater risk for experiencing side effects. The purpose of the present paper is to review the available research on the treatment of ADHD symptoms in children with ASD. This paper summarizes the data on a range of pharmacological options and provides specific recommendations for how best to clinically manage these symptoms.


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