Symptoms of sleep disturbances among children at two general pediatric clinics

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics Vol. 140; no. 1; pp. 97 - 102
• Main Authors: Archbold, Kristen Hedger, Pituch, Kenneth J., Panahi, Parviz, Chervin, Ronald D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01.01.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Female; Hospitals, Pediatric; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Sleep Wake Disorders - diagnosis; Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology; SDB; PSQ; Human; Nervous system diseases; Respiratory disease; Parasomnia; Pathogenesis; Sleep disorder; Epidemiology; Incidence; Dysfunction; Nightmare; Neurological disorder; Bruxism; Respiration; Child
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1067/mpd.2002.119990

Objective: We assessed the frequency of childhood sleep problems at 2 general pediatric clinics. Study design: Parents of 1038 unselected children (554 boys) aged 2.0 to 13.9 years completed a validated Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire while waiting for appointments. Results: Habitual snoring was reported in 176 (17%) of the children. Criterion scores suggestive of sleep-disordered breathing were found in 115 (11%) of the children, in 29% of children at the clinic for neurologic indications, and in 21% of children at the clinic for noninfectious respiratory indications. Insomnia (ie, unrefreshing sleep or difficulty with sleep onset, sleep maintenance, or early morning awakening from sleep) was reported in 430 (41%) of the children; ≥2 symptoms were present in 191 (18%) of the children. Excessive daytime sleepiness was suggested in 148 (14%) of the children, and 390 (38%) had symptoms of sleep terrors, sleepwalking, or nocturnal bruxism. Conclusions: Sleep problems such as sleep-disordered breathing, insomnia, excessive sleepiness, and parasomnias are frequent among children seen at general pediatric practices. (J Pediatr 2002;140:97-102)