Atomoxetine, Parent Training, and Their Effects on Sleep in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

OBJECTIVE

Sleep disturbance is often a problem for children with either autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Psychostimulant medications used to treat ADHD symptoms can exacerbate this problem. For children with ASD and ADHD, atomoxetine (ATX) is a viable alternative to psychostimulants. We investigated the effects of ATX and a manualized parent training (PT) program targeting noncompliance, on the sleep quality of children with ASD and ADHD.

METHODS

Participants in a randomized clinical trial were treated with ATX + PT, ATX alone, PT alone, or placebo (PBO) alone, for 10 weeks. Fifty-four of 128 (42%) caregivers completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) at baseline and endpoint. Analysis of covariance was used to investigate possible differences between treatment groups.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between treatment groups, including PBO on the CSHQ 33-Item total score, total hours of sleep per day, and total minutes awake after sleep onset at the study endpoint.

CONCLUSION

ATX appears sleep neutral. Clinicians who treat ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents with ASD may prefer ATX over psychostimulants when sleep disturbance is an issue.