Sleep disorders and sensory abnormalities are highly represented in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and represent an important burden for these subjects and their families. Exploring the frequently co-occurring relationship between these two disturbances may be crucial for its therapeutic and rehabilitative implications....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
No immediate change to audiology practice is warranted, but audiologists working with autistic children should be aware that sensory processing differences — including auditory hypersensitivity — frequently co-occur with sleep disturbances in this population.
Clarifying the relationship between sensory processing difficulties and sleep problems in autistic children may guide more holistic, multidisciplinary care and highlight auditory sensory issues as a potential contributor to poor sleep.
- 01Systematic review covering sleep disturbances and sensory processing issues in autistic children and adolescents.
- 02Auditory sensory processing abnormalities are a known feature of autism spectrum disorder.
- 03Published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, a high-impact peer-reviewed journal.
- 04Relevant to audiologists, pediatric specialists, and researchers working with autistic populations.
- 05May support cross-disciplinary collaboration between audiology and sleep medicine.
Sleep disturbances and sensory processing/integration abnormalities co-occur in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42150238
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.smrv.2026.102302.
- Journal
- Sleep Medicine Reviews
- Publication type
- systematic_review
- Evidence level
- 1a
- Population
- Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder
- Intervention
- Presence of sensory processing and integration abnormalities
Primary outcomes
Co-occurrence rates of sleep disturbances and sensory processing/integration abnormalities; Nature and direction of the relationship between sleep and sensory processing in ASD