Association Between Vitamins Related to Brain Development and Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Purpose

Sleep problems and nutritional abnormalities are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet the relationships between specific vitamin status, sleep characteristics, and ASD symptoms remain unclear. This study investigated the associations between neurodevelopment-related vitamin levels, sleep problems, and clinical features in children with ASD. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study included 605 children with ASD aged 2-7 years. Blood vitamin levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Sleep problems were assessed using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and ASD symptoms were evaluated using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2).