Inclusion criteria for families with an autistic child

In order to take part in this study you and your family need to meet the following criteria:

• Give informed consent (for adults) or assent (for children) to take part in the study
• Have one child aged 6-10 years old on the 01/01/2024 with a clinical diagnosis of autism according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) or International Classification of Diseases 11th revision (ICD-11) diagnostic criteria for autism. This diagnosis must be verified by a clinical report. You must consent to this report(s) being reviewed by a psychiatrist, who will provide clinical confirmation of each family’s eligibility for participation.
• Have one non-autistic child aged between 6-10 years old on the 01/01/2024.
• All family members must have stable medical and behavioural conditions e.g. treated asthma, diabetes etc.
• Your family must be located in the Republic of Ireland.
• All family members must be biologically related.

Even if you meet the above criteria your family cannot take part in the study if:

• Any family member does not consent or assent to participate in the study.
• Children are unable to tolerate sensors
• Any family member has a DSM-5 diagnosis of an intellectual disability
• Autistic children do not have a clinical report confirming their diagnosis
• Individuals have conditions associated with secondary autism (e.g., Rett syndrome)
• Children have a complex neurologic disorder (cerebral palsy, phenylketonuria, tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis, unstable seizure disorder [a seizure within 6 months]).
• Children have known genetic syndromes with characteristic behavioural phenotypes, e.g., Fragile X, DiGeorge Syndrome, Smith Magenis Syndrome.
• Children have co-morbid psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia and psychosis
• Children have an unstable/untreated medical condition (e.g., asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis etc) or any other condition/factor that would limit their ability to participate in the study (e.g., severe physical disability).
• Children have significant uncorrected hearing or vision loss
• Children have known sleeping conditions/disorders (e.g., untreated sleep apnoea)
• Any family members had a change in medications and/or health status in the last 3 months
• Any family member is taking sleep altering drugs, including melatonin or stimulants
• Any family member has a known history of obstructive sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, or restless leg syndrome
• An immediate family member or a first degree relative of either parent has a major neuropsychiatric disorder
• You are a member of the FamilySleeps team
• Either parent is a shift worker
• Either parent drinks more alcohol per week than safe HSE recommendations (women 11 drinks, men 17 drinks)
• Either adult uses recreational drugs
• Either adult is a smoker