Sleep in Children With Developmental Disabilities: How Can Videosomnography Inform Intervention?

INTRODUCTION

Sleep problem treatments are commonly used by families raising children with developmental disabilities (DD). However, intervention targets often build exclusively on parent reports which can include inherent biases or missing information. To inform sleep intervention targets in this population, the present study explored using videosomnography-a video-based sleep assessment method.

METHODS

This qualitative descriptive study observed nine school-aged children (M age = 10 years, majority African American boys) with DD for 7-consecutive nights. Videos captured sleep-wake behaviors, caregiver-child interactions, and environmental factors. Thematic analysis identified themes/intervention targets.

RESULTS

Three themes emerged: (1) "children are active and awake when they should be asleep"; (2) "mothers engaged in various caregiving and nighttime activities," including co-sleeping; and (3) "poor sleep hygiene and environment," which did not meet clinical recommendations.

DISCUSSION: Videosomnography provided unique insights into sleep behaviors, nighttime parenting, and sleep environments, highlighting intervention targets to improve sleep in children with DD.