The prevalence of sleep disturbances in 52 children with Asperger syndrome (AS) as compared with 61 healthy controls (all
subjects aged 5–17 years) was investigated. Problems with sleep onset and maintenance, sleep-related fears, negative attitudes
toward sleeping, and daytime somnolence were more frequent among children with AS than among controls. Short sleep duration
(<9 h) was almost twofold (59% vs. 32%), and the risk for sleep onset problems more than fivefold (53% vs. 10%) more common
in the AS group than in the control group. Child-reported sleeping problems were also more prevalent in the AS group than
in controls (58% vs. 7%). The results suggest that sleep disturbances should be routinely evaluated in children with AS.
Keywords Asperger syndrome - Children - Sleep - Sleepiness - Sleep disturbances