Kids suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder require a lot of things: patience, therapy, sometimes medication. But according to a recent study, one more thing they may sorely need, is simply a good night’s sleep.

It’s always been one of the paradoxes of ADHD that the drug of choice to treat the condition is the stimulant Ritalin, which ought to turn the child’s idle up even higher. But Dr. Giora Pillar of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa thought he might have an answer. Parents discover early that a child who goes without a nap can become cranky, distracted and hyperactive —all symptoms of ADHD. Is it possible, Pillar wondered, that some kids diagnosed with the disorder may simply suffer from sleep deprivation?

Pillar and his team studied 66 children, 34 of whom had been diagnosed with ADHD and 32 of whom hadn’t. Half of the children with ADHD were found to suffer from sleep-disrupting breathing problems such as apnea; only 22% of the non-ADHD kids did. Additionally, 15% of the ADHD group had a comparatively uncommon limb movement disorder, characterized by restlessness during sleep. None of the control group members had the same condition.

Pillar does not question the soundness of most ADHD diagnoses.  But he does feel that before kids start on drug- or education regimens, they should be tested for sleep disorders. It’s a step that could help both parents and their children rest a lot more soundly.

From our archive:
11/03/2003 Medicating Young Minds