Behavioral Sleep Intervention Might Improve ADHD Symptoms in Kids

Kelly Young, Physician's First Watch reviewing Hiscock H et al. BMJ 2015 Jan 20.
The sleep intervention involved family education and an individual sleep management plan.

A behavioral sleep intervention is associated with reduced attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children, a BMJ study finds.

The Australian trial included nearly 250 children with ADHD. All reported moderate-to-severe sleep problems, and most were taking stimulants. Families were randomized to either usual care or a sleep intervention in which clinicians educated families on normal sleep, sleep cycles, and sleep hygiene and designed an individual behavioral sleep management plan. The sleep intervention was delivered during two in-person sessions and one telephone call.

After 6 months, the intervention group had significantly greater improvement in parent-reported ADHD symptoms than the control group. Intervention children were also less likely to report significant sleep problems (34% vs. 46%). Behavior, quality of life, and memory were all improved with the intervention.

Intervention children appear to have slept about 10 minutes per day longer than the control group, although the authors say the actigraphy data are not entirely reliable in this population.

Citation(s):

Hiscock H et al. 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 Jan 20; 350:h68.