Australian researchers have uncovered a startling link between infant sleep patterns and the development of autistic traits.
According to the study, babies who sleep less or experience poorer sleep quality are significantly more likely to develop autistic characteristics as they grow older—and some may even go on to be diagnosed with autism.
According to the Autism Research Institute, autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that primarily involves differences in social communication and patterns of restricted, repetitive interests and behaviors.
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Autism affects 3.2 percent of Australian children, similar to the rates seen in the U.S. and England, the researchers noted. In 2016, the disorder was the largest contributor to disability among Australian children under five.
Published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, the study followed over 1,000 mother–infant pairs, tracking sleep patterns at six and 12 months of age.
Researchers then assessed the children’s autism characteristics at ages two and four, based on reports from parents.
By the time the children reached 12 years old, 64 of them had been diagnosed with autism.
The findings were clear: infants with poor sleep were consistently more likely to display autistic traits and receive a later autism diagnosis.
At six months old, each additional hour of night sleep was associated with a 4.5 percent reduction in autistic traits at ages two and four, as well as a 22 percent lower chance of an autism diagnosis by age 12.
Conversely, at 12 months, babies who took longer to fall asleep–each five-minute increase in sleep latency (the amount of time it takes for a person to transition from being fully awake to falling asleep after getting into bed)–showed a 1.5 percent increase in autism characteristics and a 7.7 percent higher chance of an autism diagnosis.
“Our findings suggest that infant sleep behaviors, especially nocturnal patterns, may serve as early indicators of autism, enabling early detection and intervention opportunities, including sleep-focused support,” the authors noted.
While diagnosis can be reliably made by 24 months, many Australian children receive their diagnosis later, at a median age of 45 months, potentially missing the optimal window for early intervention programs.
To address this, authors indicated there is increasing interest in multi-method longitudinal screening during the prodromal period, incorporating multiple measures rather than relying on single assessments at isolated time points.
The research suggests that parent-reported sleep metrics, such as night sleep duration and sleep onset latency, could be useful additions to these approaches.
The study also revealed that 42 percent of children later diagnosed with autism had used melatonin within the past month, a common remedy for sleep difficulties, suggesting a possible attempt by parents to manage early sleep challenges.
Autism varies widely, requiring different levels of support and is linked to greater health challenges and lower life expectancy.
Early detection and evidence-based interventions are crucial for better outcomes, underscoring the importance of enhancing these efforts so children receive timely access to support.
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Reference
Mohamed, Z., Ponsonby, A.-L., Wakhlu, A., Thomson, S. M., Love, C., Symeonides, C., Ranganathan, S., O’Hely, M., Vuillermin, P., Drummond, K., & Barwon Infant Study Investigator Group. (2025). Infant sleep characteristics in children with autism spectrum disorder: A population-derived Australian birth cohort study. Archives of Disease in Childhood.
