Symptoms of sleep disturbances among children at two general pediatric clinics.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the frequency of childhood sleep problems at 2 general pediatric clinics.


METHODS
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; > or =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.
Archbold
Kristen Hedger
KH
Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0117, USA.
Pituch
Kenneth J
KJ
Panahi
Parviz
P
Chervin
Ronald D
RD
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology