Can Inadequate Sleep as a Preschooler Cause ADHD?

A recent study led by author Erika Gaylor, senior researcher for SRI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute in Menlo Park, Calif., claims her research suggests that children who do not get enough sleep as preschoolers are more likely than other children to show signs of ADHD by the time they’re in kindergarten.

The study was based on parental accounts of amount of sleep their preschoolers received, as well as reports of ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity, impulsivity, etc.) their kindergarteners exhibited. The preliminary findings suggest that children who do not get enough sleep as preschoolers, are more likely to show signs of ADHD as kindergarteners.

Now, I’m no scientist, researcher, psychiatrist, or other expert in the field of ADHD, but I do have two sons who have been diagnosed with ADHD. And I think it’s much more likely that kids with ADHD simply sleep less. My sons weren’t diagnosed with ADHD until after they were in kindergarten, however, the symptoms started much, much earlier.

It’s commonly believed that children with ADHD are more likely to suffer sleep disturbances, especially winding down enough to fall asleep and staying asleep through the night. I don’t personally think that a lack of sleep early on causes ADHD, rather I think that kids with ADHD often have sleep issues. I mean, I have yet to find a magic switch that turns off my sons’ ADHD symptoms at bedtime. If they jump around the house with the attention span of a rock during the day, why should it automatically end just because the clock reads 9:00PM?

Not to mention the fact that kids with sleep disturbances are often misdiagnosed with ADHD. In fact, the oldest of my three sons was misdiagnosed with ADHD because of the hyperactivity he displayed during the day. When he had his tonsils and adenoids surgically removed because of his severe sleep apnea, the hyperactive symptoms disappeared. Unlike adults who are excessively tired after a poor night’s sleep, children tend to ramp it up in an effort to stay awake during the day, thus the misdiagnosis of ADHD.

In the end, it’s always a good idea to set bedtimes and consistently stick to them. You should strive to ensure your kids get adequate sleep. But I wouldn’t worry that the times your preschooler was unable to fall asleep is going to cause him to have ADHD. That is not worth losing sleep over.

What do you think? Does the amount of sleep a preschooler gets play an important role in developing ADHD? Do parents of children with ADHD agree? Do parents need one more thing to worry about “doing wrong and screwing their child up for life”?

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