INFANT FEEDING AND SLEEP PRACTICES AND CHILDHOOD SYMPTOMS OF ADHD

There is growing consensus that at least some subtypes of ADHD may be associated with certain sleep difficulties and that these difficulties may contribute to the symptoms of the disorder. Recent sleep research has indicated that the sleep physiology of solitary sleeping infants differs from that of infants who cosleep with an adult. This study explored the potential link between infant sleep and later ADHD symptoms using survey methodology. The relationships between various sleep arrangements in infancy, along with relevant covariates, were examined in relation to each other and to symptoms of ADHD in children ages 3 to 6. No relationship was found between sleep arrangements at birth and later ADHD symptoms, however, several significant relationships were found among the other variables. The results of this study demonstrate the complex nature of the relationships between variables known to affect the risk for ADHD symptoms.