(April 7, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Sleep disturbances are a common problem among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and may contribute to school and work issues for both the children and their parents, according to research published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Here are some facts about sleep problems in pediatrics:

•    There is evidence that sleep problems are vastly underdiagnosed in the pediatric milieu, so ask parents about their children's sleep habits.

•    Sleep problems that include snoring and other disordered breathing as well as daytime sleepiness have been linked with ADHD.

•    Children with insomnia can be helped by addressing any underlying causes, maintaining good sleep practices, and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule.

Researchers from the Centre for Community Child Health in Parkville, Australia studied the families of 239 children with ADHD. The average age of the children was 12 years. The investigators looked for an association between sleep disturbances on quality of life, daily functioning, and school attendance in the children. They also looked at the overall impact of these disturbances on the mental health and work attendance of the children's primary caregivers.

Overall, 73.3% of the children experienced difficulty sleeping, including 44.8% with moderate to severe problems. Some of the most commonly occurring problems were difficulty falling asleep, resisting going to bed, and tiredness on waking. The children with sleep problems were more likely to miss or be late for school, and their primary caregivers were more likely to be late for work.

Today's research highlights the need for children with ADHD to receive help for sleep problems, which may be affecting the quality of life of both the affected children and their caregivers.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.