Sleep in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The study of pediatric sleep in the context of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) offers vital insights into how sleep and neurobehavioral regulation interact across development. Sleep disturbances, including insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and sleep-disordered breathing, are markedly prevalent among children with ADHD and contribute to worsening inattention, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation. Conversely, ADHD-related hyperarousal and cognitive restlessness can further impair sleep onset and maintenance. Despite these close connections, sleep problems remain underrecognized and inconsistently managed in clinical practice. Recent research using polysomnography, actigraphy, and caregiver-reported measures underscores significant variability in sleep patterns and architecture among children with ADHD, yet mechanistic understanding and developmental trajectories remain insufficiently described. There is an urgent need for clearer conceptual models and integrated treatment approaches that consider both sleep and ADHD symptom dimensions.This Research Topic aims to strengthen understanding of the bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbances and daytime symptoms in the presentation and management of ADHD in childhood and adolescence. It seeks to consolidate current evidence, identify modifiable factors linking sleep and attentional regulation and/or restlessness, and evaluate intervention strategies that address these domains simultaneously. By uniting contributions from clinical, behavioral, and neuroscientific perspectives, this Topic will promote more comprehensive diagnostic frameworks and inform holistic care models that optimize sleep health, cognitive function, and emotional well-being in children with ADHD.To gather further insights into this multifaceted relationship, we welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Mechanisms connecting disordered sleep and ADHD symptomatology- Mechanisms connecting chronic health conditions such as asthma, eczema, Type 1 Diabetes, cystic fibrosis and ADHD symptomatology- Effects of stimulant and non-stimulant medications on sleep quality and architecture- Investigation and management of non-anemic iron deficiency to improve sleep and ADHD symptomatology- Behavioral, familial, social, and environmental factors affecting sleep in children with ADHD- Objective and subjective assessments of sleep (e.g., polysomnography, actigraphy, caregiver and self-reports)- Multilevel and behavioral interventions targeting sleep improvement and ADHD outcomes- Developmental patterns of sleep disruption and ADHD symptoms across childhood and adolescence Topic editors: Monica Ordway, Megan R Thomas, Melissa Mulraney Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83359/sleep-in-children-with-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder