Paediatric ADHD Sleep Study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A study of sleep and its impact on daytime functioning, cognitive development, academic attainment and well-being in children with ADHD.

  • IRAS ID

    236428

  • Contact name

    Anna Hamilton

  • Contact email

    A.Hamilton1@leeds.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 7 months, 24 days

  • Research summary

    Around 5% of children have difficulty controlling their attention and behaviour, this is known as Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD are likely to do less well at school and experience later mental health problems. Furthermore, they often have sleep difficulties and given that sleep is important for development and wellbeing, we are interested in the role that sleep difficulties play in the attention and behaviour problems that children with ADHD struggle with. In our study we will recruit a group of children with ADHD and a group of typically developing children of a similar age. We will see each child at two points in time, one year apart. The first time we see them we will measure the quality of their sleep using electrodes and by asking questions about their sleep habits. We will also measure the severity of their ADHD symptoms, daily activity levels, their behaviour, thinking skills, academic skills such as literacy and maths and their emotional wellbeing. The second time we see each child will we again ask them questions about their sleep and measure the severity of their ADHD symptoms, their behaviour, thinking skills, academic skills such as literacy and maths and their emotional wellbeing. We will then test whether the quality of their sleep at the first time point influences growth in the other measures over time. If it does then we can conclude that sleep difficulties are likely to play a part in the attention and behaviour problems that children with ADHD struggle with. Knowing this, we can teach the parents of the children with ADHD ways in which to help their children get a better nights sleep.

  • REC name

    Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    18/YH/0073

  • Date of REC Opinion

    19 Apr 2018

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion