The Link between Sleep Difficulties, Risk Taking and Injury Proneness among Children with ADHD

Up to 80% of children with ADHD have sleep problems including bedtime resistance, sleep onset latency, anxiety around sleep, awakening difficulties, ) snoring, obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome. The consequences of disrupted or insufficient sleep are numerous, impacting growth, development, learning, mood, daytime functioning and one`s health. One serious implication of ADHD is the relationship between sleep and risk taking behaviors, as well as injury rate, among children. A recent study showed that sleep disturbance may be a potential risk factor for increased injuries and injury-proneness behaviors. Specifically, children with more frequent injuries had significantly more sleep problems overall, particularly anxiety around sleep, than did children with low injury rates. In light of these findings, it is reasonable to assume that sleeping problems of children with ADHD have an increasing effect on their daily functioning, including risk taking behaviors and injury rate. In the current lecture we will present preliminary data on the relationship between child`s sleep and risk taking behavior, in children with ADHD