FASD Research: “Sleep Problems Among Children with FASD–An Explorative Study”

A recent study by Katarzyna Ana Dylag et al. (2021), entitled “Sleep problems among children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)–an explorative study,” investigates the prevalence and nature of sleep problems among children with FASD as compared with other children. Forty children who were diagnosed with FASD, ages 6 to 11, participated, as did forty children, ages 8 to 13, who did not have FASD. In the first phase of the study, researchers found that the children with FASD experienced sleep problems at a much higher rate than typically developing children: 55% vs. 20%. In the study’s second phase, researchers also discovered evidence that there are significant differences between children with FASD and typically developing children with respect to night wakings, parasomnias, sleep distorted breathing, and daytime sleepiness. Dylag et al. (2021) conclude that sleep disorders are a serious health concern for those with FASD and merit adequate attention and care.