Changes in infant sleep problems after a family-centered intervention.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a family-centered intervention for sleep disturbed infants and its effect on the infants' sleep pattern.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 33 infants (6-23 month of age) hospitalized because of sleep problems in The City Hospital in Reykjavik, Iceland, and 33 mothers and 30 fathers. Infants' sleep patterns were assessed by a 1-week diary and by interviews with parents before hospital admission, 1 week and 2 months after discharge. The intervention was based on correction of day-sleep rhythm, support of self-comforting capabilities of the infant, and education of parents in regard to the infants' characteristics and developmental status. Changes in day naps and infant irritability over daytime also improved significantly.


RESULTS
Night sleep improved significantly 1 week after discharge and even more so 2 months later.


CONCLUSIONS
Offering a family-centered intervention improves infants' sleep patterns up to 2 months after discharge.
Skuladottir
Arna
A
Outpatient Clinic for Sleep Disturbed Infants, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Thome
Marga
M
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002657:Child Development; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007508:Irritable Mood; D008297:Male; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014851:Wakefulness