Sleep disorders, sleep medication use, and predictors of sleep disturbance in children with persistent tic disorders

ABSTRACT

The present study examined rates of sleep disorders and sleep medication use, and predictors of sleep disturbance in children with persistent tic disorders (PTD). Sixty-three parents of children aged 10–17 years with PTDs completed an internet survey evaluating sleep patterns and clinical symptoms. Insomnia (19.4%), nightmares (16.1%), and bruxism (13.1%) were the most commonly reported lifetime sleep disorders. Fifty-two percent endorsed current sleep medication use. Higher ADHD severity, overall life impairment, and female sex predicted greater sleep disturbance. Findings suggest the utility of clinical management of co-occurring ADHD and impairment to mitigate sleep disturbance in children with PTDs.

Disclosure statement

Ms. Swisher, Ms. Tooker, and Ms. Qu declare no conflicts of interest. Dr. Burgess serves on the scientific advisory boards for Natrol, LLC, and Moving Mindz, Pty Ltd, and is a consultant for F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Dr. Coles declares no conflicts of interest. Dr. Bennett has received research support, speaking fees and travel support for speaking engagements from the TAA. Dr. Bennett also receives royalties from Wolters Kluwer. Dr. Piacentini has received research support from NIMH, the TLC Foundation for BFRBs, and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals; publication royalties from Guilford Press and Oxford University Press; and travel/speaking honoraria from the TAA, International OCD Foundation, and the TLC Foundation for BFRBs. Dr. Colwell serves as an unpaid consultant for RealSleep™. Dr. Ricketts has received honoraria and funding from the Tourette Association of America (TAA), and serves on their Diversity Committee. She has also received research funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs): BFRB Precision Medicine Initiative, and Brain and Behavior Research Foundation. She has received travel support and funding from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation, and honoraria from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Springer Nature, and Wink Sleep.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02739615.2023.2175682

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health [K23MH113884]