Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children With Autism

Sleep and circadian disturbances in children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Sleep is essential for brain development and overall health, particularly in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Sleep disruptions can considerably impact brain structure and function, leading to dysfunction of neurotransmitter systems, metabolism, hormonal balance and inflammatory processes, potentially contributing to the pathophysiology of NDDs. This Review examines the prevalence, types and mechanisms of sleep disturbances in children with NDDs, including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and various genetic syndromes. Common sleep disorders in these populations include insomnia, hypersomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, sleep-related breathing disorders and parasomnias, with underlying factors often involving genetic, neurobiological, environmental and neurophysiological influences. Sleep problems such as insomnia, night awakenings and sleep fragmentation are closely linked to both internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression, and externalizing behaviours such as hyperactivity and aggression. Assessment of sleep in children with NDDs presents unique challenges owing to communication difficulties, comorbid conditions and altered sensory processing. The Review underscores the importance of further research to unravel the complex interactions between sleep and neurodevelopment, advocating for longitudinal studies and the identification of predictive biomarkers. Understanding and addressing sleep disturbances in NDDs is crucial for improving developmental outcomes and the overall quality of life for affected individuals and their families.

Sleep disturbance and other co-occurring conditions in autistic children: A network approach to understanding their inter-relationships

Autistic children frequently have one or more co-occurring psychological, behavioral, or medical conditions. We examined relationships between child behaviors, sleep, adaptive behavior, autistic traits, mental health conditions, and health in autistic children using network analysis. Network analysis is hypothesis generating and can inform our understanding of relationships between multiple conditions and behaviors, directing the development of transdiagnostic treatments for co-occurring conditions. Participants were two child cohorts from the Autism Treatment Network registry: ages 2-5 years (n = 2372) and 6-17 years (n = 1553). Least absolute-shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regularized partial correlation network analysis was performed in the 2-5 years cohort (35 items) and the 6-17 years cohort (36 items). The Spinglass algorithm determined communities within each network. Two-step expected influence (EI2) determined the importance of network variables. The most influential network items were sleep difficulties (2 items) and aggressive behaviors for young children and aggressive behaviors, social problems, and anxious/depressed behavior for older children. Five communities were found for younger children and seven for older children. Of the top three most important bridge variables, night-waking/parasomnias and anxious/depressed behavior were in both age-groups, and somatic complaints and sleep initiation/duration were in younger and older cohorts respectively. Despite cohort differences, sleep disturbances were prominent in all networks, indicating they are a transdiagnostic feature across many clinical conditions, and thus a target for intervention and monitoring. Aggressive behavior was influential in the partial correlation networks, indicating a potential red flag for clinical monitoring. Other items of strong network importance may also be intervention targets or screening flags.

Sleep Disturbances and Co-sleeping in Italian Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The current study aimed (1) to provide an analysis of the frequency and prevalence of sleep disturbances in a large Italian sample of children and adolescents with ASD, detecting specific predictors of the presence/absence of sleep disorders, (2) to examine the phenomenon of co-sleeping within a subgroup of participants with ASD. A total of 242 children and adolescents with ASD (194 males, mean age 5.03 ± 3.15 years) were included. After the diagnostic procedure, caregivers were requested to complete the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) to assess sleep disorders among participants. The presence of co-sleeping was investigated in a subgroup of 146 children and adolescents with ASD. An elevated or clinically relevant global score for sleep disorders (≥ 60) was found in 33% of participants. The most prevalent sleep disorder in our group was related to difficulties with sleep onset and sleep maintenance (~ 41% of cases). Sleep disturbances were predicted by higher intelligence quotient (IQ)/developmental quotient (DQ), increased internalizing problems, and elevated parental stress. The subgroup of participants engaged in co-sleeping (N = 87) were younger and had lower IQ/DQ scores, reduced adaptive functioning, and diminished psychological wellbeing than the non-co-sleeping group. Our findings are consistent with the current literature highlighting that insomnia is the most widespread sleep problem associated with ASD. The relationship between IQ/DQ and sleep alterations is a crucial topic that deserves additional research. Future studies should assess sleep by objective measures such as EEG topography to better understand the mechanisms underlying sleep alterations in this neurodevelopmental disorder.

The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with autism spectrum disorder are at higher risk for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). They are also more vulnerable to sleep problems and are less likely to obtain the recommended number of hours of sleep than neurotypical children. In the general population, ACEs have been linked to future sleep difficulties. Despite increased vulnerabilities to both ACEs and sleep problems, no study has examined this association in ASD. Using the National Survey of Children's Health across four cohorts, we examined whether ACEs were a risk factor to obtaining the recommended number of hours of sleep, while accounting for demographic and health factors typically associated with sleep duration. Findings indicate that children with ASD with more ACEs were less likely to get the recommended number of hours of sleep than children with fewer ACEs. Other factors associated with sleep included race, anxiety, autism severity, and overall health. These findings indicate that sleep problems in children with ASD are complex and multifaceted. Among other considerations, it is important for clinicians to screen children with ASD for ACEs and consider the possible impact of ACEs on sleep.

Sleep and Autism: Current Research, Clinical Assessment, and Treatment Strategies

Autism spectrum disorder is associated with a high rate of sleep problems, affecting over 80% of autistic individuals. Sleep problems have pervasive negative effects on health, behavior, mood, and cognition but are underrecognized in autistic children. Problems initiating and maintaining sleep-hallmarks of insomnia-are common. Sleep-disordered breathing and restless legs syndrome have also been described in autism at a higher prevalence than in community populations. The authors describe current research on sleep in autistic children and potential pathophysiologic mechanisms. They describe practical approaches to sleep assessment and synthesize approaches to addressing sleep problems in autistic children.

Sleep Problems in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Sleep problems are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with 40% to 80% prevalence. Common disorders include insomnia, parasomnias, and circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders. These problems have a multifactorial etiology and can both exacerbate and be exacerbated by core ASD symptoms. Sleep problems also impact the health and quality of life of both patients and their caregivers. All children with autism should be regularly screened for sleep problems and evaluated for co-occurring medical contributors. Behavioral interventions with caregiver training remain first-line treatment for sleep disorders in both neurotypical and neurodiverse youth.

Association between early childhood sleep difficulties and subsequent psychiatric illness

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Chronic disruptions to sleep in childhood are associated with increased prevalence of psychiatric disease later in development. When sleep disruptions remit before adolescence, the increased prevalence of psychiatric disease is no longer observed, highlighting the importance of early detection and intervention. Clinicians typically rely on caregivers' reports for diagnosis and management of childhood sleep challenges. We examined whether findings on polysomnogram (PSG) can offer similar insight into childhood sleep difficulties and the risk of subsequent psychiatric illness.

METHODS

A cohort was identified of 348 children ages 5 years 11 months and younger with sleep difficulties rising to the level of formal clinical workup. A retrospective review of caregiver-reported sleep concerns, PSG results, and subsequent psychiatric illness was completed. PSG findings were compared to presence of psychiatric illness later in life as well as caregivers' reported concerns. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were completed to evaluate correlations and Cohen's kappa was used to evaluate agreement.

RESULTS

With only a few exceptions, comparisons between clinician findings on PSG and subsequent psychiatric diagnoses were statistically nonsignificant. Similarly, the relationship between caregivers' subjective reports about sleep and clinicians' findings on PSG demonstrated only slight to fair agreement, suggesting reported concerns were not predictive of PSG results.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental reports of subjective sleep concerns are indicative of different sleep pathologies compared to sleep pathologies detected on PSG. The addition of PSG to caregiver-reported data appears to have limited clinical utility in understanding sleep concerns associated with the risk of subsequent psychiatric illness in young children.

CITATION

Pease E, Shekunov J, Savitz ST, et al. Association between early childhood sleep difficulties and subsequent psychiatric illness. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(12):2059-2063.

Sleep disturbances in subjects with autism spectrum disorder: A parental perspective

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of sleep disturbances (SDs), their related comorbidities, interventions and the impact on the family for individuals with current SDs and those who had SDs in the past.

METHODS

Members of the Italian national association of parents of persons with autism (ANGSA) completed an anonymous online survey collecting demographic data, the presence of comorbidities and specific information on sleep arrangement and sleep disorders using a modified version of the of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC).

RESULTS

The final sample consisted of 143 participants, 90 patients presented current SDs (C_SDs) and 53 reported previous SDs (P_SDs). In the C_SDs group, the most prevalent sleep disorders were related to insomnia and, especially, difficulty falling asleep; a high number of individuals presented with restless sleep. Also, the parents in the P_SDs group retrospectively reported a high prevalence of insomnia with difficulty falling asleep, night awakenings and restless sleep. Parents reported that sleep hygiene practice were effective in less than one third of cases in both groups and the most used compound was immediate-release melatonin, followed by antihistamines and then benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, and antidepressants, with approximately 60-70% reported efficacy. Parents of both groups reported that insomnia negatively affected their children behavior and caused stress, mood changes or physical fatigue in their daily life.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that insomnia is most prevalent in individuals with autism with several consequences on children and family behavior and quality of life. As reported by parents, melatonin might be helpful for sleep disturbances in these children and the causes of restless sleep need further investigations.

Sleep in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

SLEEP IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER: Kanwaljit Singh, Andrew W. Zimmerman Seminars in Pediatric Neurology Volume 22, Issue 2, June 2015, Pages 113-125 Sleep problems are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sleep problems in these disorders may not only worsen daytime behaviors and core symptoms of ASD and ADHD but also contribute to parental stress levels. Therefore, the presence of sleep problems in ASD and ADHD requires prompt attention and management. This article is presented in 2 sections, one each for ASD and ADHD. First, a detailed literature review about the burden and prevalence of different types of sleep disorders is presented, followed by the pathophysiology and etiology of the sleep problems and evaluation and management of sleep disorders in ASD and ADHD.

Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An In-Depth Review of Correlations and Complexities

Sleep-disordered breathing is a significant problem affecting the pediatric population. These conditions can affect sleep quality and children's overall health and well-being. Difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behavioral patterns characterize autism spectrum disorder. Sleep disturbances are common in children with ASD. This literature review aims to gather and analyze available studies on the relationship between SDB and children with autism spectrum disorder. We comprehensively searched the literature using major search engines (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). After removing duplicates, we extracted a total of 96 records. We selected 19 studies for inclusion after a thorough title and abstract screening process. Seven articles were ultimately incorporated into this analysis. The research findings presented herein emphasize the substantial influence of sleep-disordered breathing on pediatric individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These findings reveal a high incidence of SDB in children with ASD, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and specialized treatment. Obesity in this population further complicates matters, requiring focused weight management strategies. Surgical interventions, such as adenotonsillectomy, have shown promise in improving behavioral issues in children with ASD affected by OSA, regardless of their obesity status. However, more comprehensive studies are necessary to investigate the benefits of A&T treatment, specifically in children with ASD and OSA. The complex relationship between ASD, SDB, and other factors, such as joint hypermobility and muscle hypotonia, suggests a need for multidisciplinary treatment approaches. Physiotherapy can play a critical role in addressing these intricate health issues. Early sleep assessments and tailored weight management strategies are essential for timely diagnosis and intervention in children with ASD. Policy initiatives should support these efforts to enhance the overall well-being of this population. Further research is crucial to understand the complex causes of sleep disturbances in children with ASD and to develop effective interventions considering the multifaceted nature of these conditions.

Exploring Bidirectional Relationships: Child Sleep Duration, Child Behavior Problems, and Parenting Stress in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background

Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are at-risk for sleep and behavior problems, and their parents are at-risk for high stress. Child sleep duration, behavior problems, and parenting stress are interrelated; however, directionality of these associations is unclear and research including youth with ASD is lacking. Using a day-to-day, within-person design, this study explores the directionality of these relationships in families of children with ASD.

Method

Twenty-six children (ages 3-5, 73.1% male, 65.4% Hispanic/Latino) with ASD and their mothers participated in a 14-day study. Child sleep duration (parent-report and actigraphy), behavior problems, and parenting stress were measured daily. Constructs were decomposed into their within- and between-person components and analyzed with random intercept cross-lagged panel models.

Results

While between-person relationships were directionally expected in that shorter sleep, more behavior problems, and greater parenting stress were associated, within-person relationships were complicated. Better-than-average child behavior was associated with less next-day parenting stress, yet more parenting stress than average was associated with better next-day child behavior. As expected, longer-than-average child sleep was associated with less next-day parenting stress, while greater child behavior problems were associated with less sleep that night.

Conclusions

Understanding the directionality of associations between child and parent factors allows for the optimization of interventions to improve the quality of life for families of children with ASD. Interventions that target child behavior and/or help parents manage stress while maintaining effective parenting strategies for sleep and behavior may be useful.

Pleiotropic effects of a high confidence Autism Spectrum Disorder gene, arid1b, on zebrafish sleep

Sleep fulfills critical functions in neurodevelopment, such as promoting synaptic plasticity, neuronal wiring, and brain connectivity which are critical phenomena in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) pathophysiology. Sleep disturbance, specifically insomnia, accompanies ASD and is associated with more severe core symptoms (e.g., social impairment). It is possible that focusing on identifying effective ways to treat sleep problems can help alleviate other ASD-related symptoms. A body of evidence indicates shared mechanisms and neurobiological substrates between sleep and ASD and investigation of these may inform therapeutic effects of improving sleep at both behavioral and molecular levels. In this study, we tested if sleep and social behavior were different in a zebrafish model with the arid1b gene mutated compared to controls. This gene was selected for study as expert curations conducted for the Simons Foundation for Autism Research Institute (SFARI) Gene database define it is as a 'high confidence' ASD gene (i.e., clearly implicated) encoding a chromatin remodeling protein. Homozygous arid1b mutants displayed increased arousability and light sleep compared to their heterozygous and wild type counterparts, based on testing a mechano-acoustic stimulus presenting different vibration frequencies of increasing intensity to detect sleep depth. In addition, decreased social preference was observed in arid1b heterozygous and homozygous mutant zebrafish. The behavioral phenotypes reported in our study are in line with findings from mouse models and human studies and demonstrate the utility of zebrafish as a vertebrate model system with high throughput phenotyping in the investigation of changes in sleep in models relevant to ASD. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of including assessments of arousal threshold when studying sleep using in vivo models.

Outcomes and considerations in children with developmental delay undergoing tonsillectomy

INTRODUCTION

Developmental delay (DD) affects one in six children and has been shown to require more health care than the average child [1-2]. Certain recent studies have suggested an increased rate of complications/costs in children with DD [3-5]. Our objective was to perform a retrospective study comparing DD children to non-DD controls in patients presenting for tonsillectomy over a 1-year period to further define the relationship between DD and post-operative complications.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective chart review of children undergoing tonsillectomy over a one-year period. We collected demographic information, polysomnogram, comorbidities, complications, and length of stay. A diagnosis of developmental delay was considered if recorded prior to the tonsillectomy or workup was ongoing at the time of tonsillectomy. All data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.

RESULTS

The final cohort included 400 patients. Our cohort had 56 patients with diagnosis of DD. We recorded 18 complications in the DD population (32.14%) compared to 30 complications in the control group (8.72%) (p < 0.00001). Children with DD had higher incidence of comorbidities (p < 0.00001), complication with comorbidities (p < 0.00001), and incidence of prematurity (p < 0.00001); whereas, they did not have increased length of stay (LOS) (p = 0.33) or complications if premature (p = 0.22). Pre-operative polysomnogram was associated with higher incidence of complication (p = 0.035) in the total population but children with DD did not have higher pre-operative obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (oAHI)compared to the control patients (p = 0.25).

CONCLUSION

Children with DD were found to have a significantly higher complication rate compared to children without DD in our patient population. They did have higher incidence of additional comorbidities and prematurity. This elevated risk should at least be included in pre-operative counseling, but additionally has potential implications for pre-operative decision making and treatment plans in this high-risk population.

Sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a growing prevalence of sleep problems associated with significant behavioral problems and more severe autism clinical presentation. Little is known about the relationships between autism traits and sleep problems in Hong Kong. Therefore, this study aimed to examine whether children with autism have increased sleep problems than non-autistic children in Hong Kong. The secondary objective was to examine the factors associated with sleep problems in an autism clinical sample.

Methods

This cross-sectional study recruited 135 children with autism and 102 with the same age range of non-autistic children, aged between 6 and 12 years. Both groups were screened and compared on their sleep behaviors using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ).

Results

Children with autism had significantly more sleep problems than non-autistic children [t _(226.73) = 6.20, p < 0.001]. Bed -sharing [beta = 0.25, t ₍₁₆₅₎ = 2.75, p = 0.07] and maternal age at birth [beta = 0.15, t ₍₁₆₅₎ = 2.05, p = 0.043] were significant factors associated with CSHQ score on the top of autism traits. Stepwise linear regression modeling identified that only separation anxiety disorder (beta = 4.83, t = 2.40, p = 0.019) best-predicted CSHQ.

Conclusion

In summary, autistic children suffered from significantly more sleep problems and co-occurring separation anxiety disorder brings greater sleep problems as compared to non-autistic children. Clinicians should be more aware of sleep problems to provide more effective treatments to children with autism.

Clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose treatment for restless legs symptoms and low serum ferritin in children with autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) may be underdiagnosed in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to difficulty expressing the symptoms in their own words. In addition, administration of oral iron may be particularly difficult in children with ASD.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, open-label case series of children with ASD, restless legs (RL) symptoms, and serum ferritin <30 μg/L, who either had failed or did not tolerate oral iron, and were subsequently treated with intravenous (IV) ferric carboxymaltose (FCM). Patients received a single dose of IV FCM, 15 mg/kg up to a maximum dose of 750 mg. Data collected pre- and eight weeks post-infusion included presenting symptoms, serum ferritin, iron profile, and Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-Severity pre- and CGI-Improvement post-infusion). Adverse effects were assessed.

RESULTS

Nineteen children, 4-11 years old (12 male, median age 6, interquartile range (IQR 4-11) were included. A definite RLS diagnosis was identified in 6 verbal children (31.6%). RL symptoms (designated probable RLS) in the 13 other children met all RLS diagnostic criteria except "improvement of symptoms with movement," which was not definitively determined. Baseline median values were: ferritin 10 μg/L (IQR 10-16), iron 66.5 μg/dL (IQR 57-96), TIBC 382 μg/dL (IQR 360-411) and transferrin saturation 19% (IQR 14-28). Median CGI-S was 4 (moderate symptoms) (IQR 3-4). At eight weeks after IV FCM, all measures were improved. Median ferritin was 68 μg/L (IQR 62.5-109, p < 0.00045). Median CGI-I was 1 (very much improved) (IQR 1-2). All children meeting definite RLS criteria improved. Three children in the probable RLS group did not improve. Children meeting the full RLS criteria had lower baseline ferritin levels than those with a probable diagnosis (9 μg/L, IQR 9-10 vs. 13 μg/L, IQR 10-16, Mann-Whitney test p < 0.045). Adverse effects included lightheadedness, gastrointestinal discomfort, fever, and headache among others.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of children (84.2%) with ASD, restless legs symptoms, and serum ferritin <30 μg/L had clinical improvement and significantly better serum iron parameters after a single IV FCM infusion. Although larger, randomized trials are needed, IV FCM appears to be a promising treatment for this subset of children with ASD.

Investigating differences in symptomatology and age at diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea in children with and without autism

INTRODUCTION

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with OSA can present with a range of symptoms including loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, and changes in cognitive function. Some of these symptoms can overlap with and exacerbate symptoms of ASD, potentially delaying OSA diagnosis in children with both conditions.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to assess between-group difference in OSA symptomatology and age at OSA diagnosis in children with and without ASD.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted on 166 pediatric patients (<18 years) with OSA undergoing adenotonsillectomy at a single academic institution between 2019 and 2021. The control group consisted of 91 patients (54.9% male) without ASD. The ASD group included 75 patients (88.0% male). Autism severity was scored on a 1-4 scale using a novel methodology. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon rank sum tests for continuous variables, chi-squared tests for categorical variables, and multivariable analyses as needed.

RESULTS

There was a significant between-group difference in total number of reported OSA symptoms (p < 0.001), with more symptoms reported in patients with ASD. Within the ASD group, lower autism severity was associated with an increased number of reported OSA symptoms (p = 0.006). There was not a significant between-group difference in age at OSA diagnosis (p = 0.999); however, lower autism severity was associated with an increased age at diagnosis (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that OSA may present with a higher symptom burden in children with ASD, particularly for children with lower ASD severity, who often experience delays in OSA diagnosis. These findings and their clinical implications merit further explanation.

Sleep Disordered Breathing in Adults with Cerebral Palsy: What Do We Know So Far?

As advances in medicine continue to extend the lifespan of patients with cerebral palsy (CP), emphasis must be placed on evaluating patients for chronic health issues common in the general adult population. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) affects a large number of otherwise healthy adults and is even more common in individuals with disability. SDB includes the following subtypes: obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and sleep-related hypoventilation/hypoxemia. SDB consequences include poor daytime functioning from sleepiness and an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of data available in the literature about the association between SDB and CP in the adult population. More research is needed to understand the true prevalence and management strategies of SDB in patients with CP. This review focuses on three major subtypes of SDB: obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and sleep-related hypoventilation/hypoxemia.

Tonsillectomy Outcomes among Children with Mental Health Disorders in the United States

Objectives

Recent evidence suggests that children with mental health disorders are more likely to have postoperative complications. Our aim was to determine if mental health disorders affect postoperative complications after tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy (T&A).

Setting

Cross-sectional analysis of national databases.

Subjects and Methods

The 2006 to 2016 Kids Inpatient Database and the 2014 Nationwide Readmission Database were used to identify children (age <21 years) who underwent T&A. We compared children with mental health disorders (eg, autism, developmental delays, or mood disorders) to those without a mental health disorder. We contrasted gender, race, length of stay, complications, and 30-day readmissions.

Results

We estimated that 37,386 children underwent T&A, and there were 2138 (5.7%) diagnosed with a mental health disorder. Children with mental health disorders were older (6.0 vs 5.3 years, P < .001), more commonly males (64% vs 58%, P < .001), had a longer length of stay (3.4 days vs 2.3 days, P < .001), and had higher total charges even after controlling for length of stay ($19,000 vs $14,000, P < .001). Children with a mental health disorder were more likely to have a complication (odds ratio [OR] = 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7 to 3.4; P < .001) including intubation, mechanical ventilation, or both (OR = 3.3; 95% CI, 2.6 to 3.8; P < .001). The 30-day all-cause readmission rate was higher (12% vs 4.0%, P < .001).

Conclusion

Children with mental health disorders, especially development delays, have more frequent complications, longer lengths of stay, and readmissions than children without mental health disorders. This information should be included in preoperative counseling.