Parental Perceptions of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Sleep of Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Introduction: Little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep in schoolaged children with neurodevelopmen-tal disorders. This study aimed to (1) determine and describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) identify and describe contributing factors.Method: Parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and insomnia symptoms (n = 100) were surveyed to determine if their child's sleep had changed because of the COVID-19 pan-demic. Parents who reported changes were asked to describe how the pandemic influenced their child's sleep.Results: Most parents (66%) reported the pandemic did not worsen their child's sleep, 30% stated their child's sleep had wors-ened, and 4% reported an improvement. Stress and anxiety about the pandemic, disrupted routines, and increased screen time were common parent-identified contributing factors.Discussion: Health care providers should explore strategies to mitigate contributing factors, such as anxiety about the pandemic, disrupted routines, and increased screen time. J Pediatr Health Care. (2023) 37,179-184