Many children with ADHD also have sleep problems; there are likely many reasons, including common behavioral patterns, perhaps common brain pathways, the effect of stimulant medications, as well as anxiety and other disorders that are commonly associated with ADHD. Researchers therefore looked at a sleep intervention to improve sleep in children who were diagnosed with ADHD.
Families received education on healthy sleep as well as an individualized sleep plan over 2 visits and a phone call follow-up. After 3 and 6 months, children had an improvement in both teacher and parent-reported ADHD symptoms, and fewer sleep problems. They also had improved behavior and quality of life.
The findings of this study make sense; sleep problems can cause attention problems in children. In fact, I have to wonder if in these children improved sleep improved their ADHD or improved their attention problems separate from ADHD. It would be impossible to tell, since the symptoms are the same and there is no definitive test for ADHD.
I have “cured” children’s ADHD by getting their sleep problems diagnosed and fixed. Their attention problems resolved, calling into question their diagnosis of ADHD. No matter what the definition, this study suggests that children who are diagnosed with ADHD should have their sleep assessed and treated if there are problems. Also, I think it shows that children with attention problems should have their sleep, along with other things, examined before diagnosing them with ADHD.
Impact of a behavioural sleep intervention on symptoms and sleep in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and parental mental health: randomised controlled trial BMJ 2015; 350 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h68
