Category: Tics/Stereotypies
Objective: Examine potential clinical correlates of sleep disturbances in children with Tourette syndrome (TS).
Background: There is increasing evidence that sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in TS, a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by tics and a range of co-occurring disorders and symptoms.
Method: Parents of 131 children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome aged between 7 and 17 (Mage = 11.17 ± 2.74 years) completed an online questionnaire. Measures included the sleep disturbance scale for children (SDSC), parent tic questionnaire (PTQ), and a range of questions relating to TS medical history. Independent samples t-tests and multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore associations between age, gender, clinical variables (tic severity, existence of co-occurring conditions) and sleep.
Results: Nearly 85% of children met the clinical cut-off for one or more sleep disorder on the SDSC (T-score >70). Disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS) and sleep-wake transition disorders were most prevalent. Girls had significantly higher scores on the DIMS sub-scale than boys (p = .03), but no other gender differences were observed. Older children had significantly higher scores for DIMS (p = .02), disorders of excessive somnolescence (p < .001), and total sleep disturbance score (p = .01). Increased tic severity and number of co-occurring disorders predicted greater total sleep disturbances on the SDSC after controlling for age and gender, explaining 26.7% of the variance in scores, F(4, 113) = 10.28, p < .001.
Conclusion: Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in children with TS. Children with more severe tics and greater number of co-occurring disorders appear to be at greater risk for sleep disturbances. There is a need for increased recognition of the importance of sleep in clinical settings to effectively identify and treat sleep disturbances in children with TS.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
L. Keenan, J. Bramham, M. Downes. Clinical correlates of sleep disturbances in children with Tourette syndrome [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2021; 36 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/clinical-correlates-of-sleep-disturbances-in-children-with-tourette-syndrome/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to MDS Virtual Congress 2021
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/clinical-correlates-of-sleep-disturbances-in-children-with-tourette-syndrome/