What causes sleep disorders in children with autism?
Researchers don’t know for sure why autistic children have problems with sleep, but they have several theories. The first has to do with social cues. People know when it’s time to go to sleep at night thanks to the normal cycles of light and dark and the body’s circadian rhythms. But they also use social cues. For example, children may see their siblings getting ready for bed. Children with autism, who often have difficulty communicating, may misinterpret or fail to understand these cues. Another theory has to do with the hormone melatonin, which normally helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. To make melatonin, the body needs an amino acid called tryptophan, which research has found to be either higher or lower than normal in children with autism. Typically, melatonin levels rise in response to darkness (at night) and dip during the daylight hours. Studies have shown that some children with autism don’t release melatonin at the correct times of day. Instead, they have high levels of melato
