Australian researchers have found that babies who sleep less or experience poor sleep quality are more likely to develop autistic traits and receive an autism diagnosis later in childhood.
In a study of over 1,000 mother-infant pairs, sleep patterns at six and 12 months were compared with parent-reported autism characteristics at ages two and four. By age 12, 64 children had been diagnosed with autism.
The findings suggest a consistent link between early sleep difficulties and later signs of autism.
While the exact cause of this connection remains unclear, researchers say poor sleep in infancy could be an early marker of autism and warrants further investigation.
