Cosleeping and its correlates in Saudi school-aged children.
BACKGROUND
There are cross-cultural variations in sleep habits among children. No previous study has assessed the prevalence of cosleeping in school-aged children in Middle Eastern countries.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of, and the factors associated with, cosleeping in Saudi school-aged children.


METHODS
Questionnaires were distributed according to a specified sampling procedure, and parents were asked to rate each item that described their child's behavior within the previous 6 months. Cosleeping was defined as all-night sharing of a bed or room with a parent.


RESULTS
Data were analyzed for 977 children (50.5% boys) with a mean age of 9.5 +/- 1.9 years and a range from 5 to 12 years. Cosleeping with parents was reported by 26% (95% CI: 23.2-28.7%) of the sample. According to a multivariate logistic regression model, a child's school level, enuresis, and nightmares were the only predictors of cosleeping.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that cosleeping is more common among Saudi school-aged children than has been reported for other countries. When assessing children's sleep, the practitioner should give special consideration to the child's needs, and his/her family's cultural background.
BaHammam
Ahmed
A
Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ashammam2@gmail.com
Alameri
Hatem
H
Hersi
Ahmad
A
D000367:Age Factors; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology*; D001513:Beds; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004325:Dreams; D004775:Enuresis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires