Understanding and Managing Sleep Disruption in Children with FASD

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 (PAE), 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. Childrenâ 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.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author