Clinical Characteristics of Children With Tourette Syndrome With and Without Sleep Disorder

Abstract

Background: Sleep problems are common in children with Tourette Syndrome (TS). However, research regarding their demographic and clinical profile is limited.

Methods: We examined characteristics of 114 children aged five to 17 years with a lifetime diagnosis of TS and compared children with sleep disorder (n = 32) and without sleep disorder (n = 82). Parent report from the 2014 National Survey of the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD and Tourette Syndrome provided demographics and clinical information, other diagnosed disorders, medication use, TS severity, and impairment.

Results: More children with TS with sleep disorder were from households with lower parental education (P < 0.01) and poverty (P = 0.04); had other diagnoses (P = 0.03), including obsessive-compulsive disorder (P < 0.01), oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder (P < 0.01), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (P = 0.02), and autism (P = 0.03); and had ever used TS medication (P = 0.01) than children with TS without sleep disorder. More children with TS with sleep disorder had severe TS symptoms (P <0.01), tic-related impairment (P<0.01), and severe ADHD symptoms (P < 0.01) compared with children with TS without sleep disorder.

Conclusions: Findings suggest greater parent-reported impact and tic-related interference in children with TS with sleep disorder compared with TS without sleep disorder. Results underscore the importance of monitoring and intervention for TS exacerbations, other diagnosed disorders, and medication use, and consideration of socioeconomic context in sleep disorder management and prevention in children with TS.

Keywords: Comorbidity; Impairment; Sleep disorder; Tics; Tourette syndrome.