New research will look at developing effective treatments for sleep problems that affect the growing number of New Zealand children and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
University of Canterbury up-and-coming researcher Dr Laurie McLay has received an emerging researcher first grant from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) to investigate the use of functional behavioural assessment1 to develop individualised, comprehensive sleep treatments for children with ASD. She will be working with a team of psychologists, including Associate Professor Karyn France and Professor Neville Blampied, both from the University of Canterbury.
Sleep disruptions such as delayed sleep onset and frequent and prolonged night-time awakenings, can have an enormous impact on how children function during the day and within their families. Such sleep problems are associated with poorer physical and mental health and wellbeing (e.g., obesity, diabetes, mood disorders, and substance abuse), quality of life, cognitive functioning, learning, and academic performance.
Dr McLay says that up to 83 per cent of children with ASD experience sleep disturbances, and that these are unlikely to abate over time in these children without effective treatment.
Although these sleep problems are complex in origin, she says evidence suggests there is a learned component that requires behavioural solutions.
“There are poorly understood biochemical differences in children with autism, such as irregular melatonin production and secretion, however, pharmacological strategies like melatonin and sedative medications only offer partial solutions. There is a large, treatable behavioural component to the sleep problem that becomes entwined with the parental behaviours that can unintentionally exacerbate it,” says Dr McLay.
For this HRC-funded study, Dr McLay and her team will recruit children throughout New Zealand aged between three and 18 who have been formally diagnosed with ASD and whose parents have reported sleep disturbances.
HRC Chief Executive Professor Kath McPherson says the results from this study could significantly improve the effectiveness of clinical treatments for sleep disturbances in children with ASD, but also have further general benefits “given that sleep problems in children with ASD have a major impact on their daytime behaviour, the severity of their ASD symptoms, and the wellbeing of their parents and families”.
Dr McLay is one of 13 researchers to receive emerging researcher first grants valued at a combined total of $3.03 million in the HRC’s 2017 funding round, up from $1.45 million in 2016.
“By targeting support to New Zealand’s most promising emerging researchers in priority health areas such as our young people, we’re helping to ensure that the research workforce can meet the needs of the healthcare system and our unique population, both now and into the future,” says Professor McPherson.
See below for the full list of 2017 HRC emerging researcher first grant recipients or to read lay summaries of the research projects, go to our research repository and filter for ‘Researcher Initiated Proposals,’ ‘Emerging Researcher First Grants’ and ‘2017’.
1 Functional behavioural assessment is a broad term used to describe a number of different methods that allow researchers and practitioners to identify the reason behind a specific behaviour.
2017 Emerging Researcher First Grants
Dr Benjamin Albert, the University of Auckland
Omega-3 fats during obese pregnancy, for metabolic protection of the offspring
36 months, $249,926
Dr Timothy Angeli, the University of Auckland
Development of targeted gastric ablation as a novel gastrointestinal therapy
36 months, $250,000
Dr Kathryn Beck, Massey University, Auckland
Optimising cognitive function: the role of dietary and lifestyle patterns
36 months, $246,508
Dr Joanna Black, the University of Auckland
Aniseikonia as a potential barrier to neural plasticity: Does image size matter?
36 months, $247,915
Dr Michael Collins, Auckland District Health Board
The BEST-fluids study: Better evidence for selecting transplant fluids
48 months, $249,965
Dr Moritz Lassé, University of Otago, Christchurch
Improving risk assessment for worsening kidney function in heart failure
36 months, $170,877
Dr Kate Lee, the University of Auckland
Deciphering the metabolic function of igf2 derived peptide hormones
36 months, $ 232,843
Dr Laurie McLay, University of Canterbury
Functional behavioural sandman: Treating sleep disturbance in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
36 months, $160,825
Dr Niranchan Paskaranandavadivel, the University of Auckland
Activation to recovery mapping to predict gastric dysrhythmias
36 months, $250,000
Dr Simone Rodda, the University of Auckland
Improving the effectiveness of lifestyle change strategies
36 months, $250,000
Dr Damian Scarf, University of Otago, Dunedin
Extending brief alcohol interventions using mobile technology
36 months, $232,371
Dr Petr Tomek, the University of Auckland
IMPACT-ful resistance mechanism of cancer cells
36 months, $249,994
Dr Jaimie Veale, University of Waikato
The New Zealand transgender health survey: Stigma and protective factors
30 months, $238,842