Sleep Issues in Autism
A Collaborative Forum Organised by Research Autism on 25th April 2006
This forum on sleep issues in autism took place on at the London South Bank University and was chaired by Professor Patricia Howlin and Professor Chris Cullen.
Speakers included:
- Ms. Jacqui Jackson
- Dr. Luci Wiggs
- Dr. Jeremy Turk
The programme for the day and the powerpoint presentations and handouts made available at the event are attached below. Use the links below the line at the bottom of this page to access these documents.
- Jeremy Turk: Rational and irrational prescribing for sleep difficulties in children with autistic spectrum disorders
- Dr. Paul Gringras, Consultant in Paediatric Neurodisability, Director Paediatric Sleep Clinic, Paediatric Neurosciences, Guys and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust: Melatonin use in Childhood Autism
- Dr. Luci Wiggs, Department of Psychology, Oxford Brookes University. Behavioural approaches to sleeplessness.
Presentations
Stop Press. Presentations from the conference are now available to Friends of Research Autism
New Research
A number of important areas for research on sleep issues were identified at this event. These included issues for families, behavioural interventions, medication (including melatonin and prescribing protocols), effects of services (including respite), genetic factors and sensory issues. A follow up meeting with researchers scoped specific projects for progression as follows.
- Effects of melatonin on sleep problems in autism. We are very pleased that, as a direct result of the forum and Research Autism’s follow up, a consortium of leading universities and centres of clinical excellence will be taking this forward and have obtained the necessary funding.
- Two further projects, on respite care and on a sleep database, are currently being developed.
We are most grateful to BUPA for their sponsorship of this event and to the London South Bank University for donating their facilities. We are also grateful to all participants. Their contributions to the day, both by way of the on line survey and at the event itself, are extremely important to us as we progress research in this important area
Related Links
- Interview with Jacqui Jackson on BBC website
- Sleep and autism
- Sleep Database: Severe Sleep Related Issues in Children with Autism
- Snuggledown: Sensory weighted blankets in children with autism
Last Updated : 12/04/2012 Back to Top
