Sleep habits and disturbances in Malaysian children with epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
To compare sleep habits and disturbances between Malaysian children with epilepsy and their siblings (age range 4-18 years) and to determine the factors associated with greater sleep disturbance.


METHODS
The Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) questionnaire was completed by the primary caregiver for 92 epileptic children (mean age 11.1 years, 50 male, 42 females) and their healthy siblings (mean age 11.1 years, 47 males, 45 females). Details of sleep arrangements and illness severity were obtained. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with high Total SDSC scores in epileptic patients.


RESULTS
Compared with their siblings, epileptic children had significantly higher total SDSC score (difference between means 8.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.4-11.1) and subscale scores in disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (3.9, 95% CI 2.8-5.2), sleep-wake transition disorders (2.1, 95% CI 1.3-2.9), sleep-disordered breathing (0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.1) and disorders of excessive sleepiness (1.5, 95% CI 0.6-2.4). Epileptic children had a higher prevalence of co-sleeping (73.7% vs 31.5%) and on more nights per week (difference between means 3, 95% CI 2.0-3.9) than their siblings. Higher Epilepsy Illness Severity scores were associated with higher total SDSC scores (P= 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Co-sleeping was highly prevalent in children with epilepsy, who also had more sleep disturbances (especially problems with initiating and maintaining sleep and sleep-wake transition disorders) than their siblings. Epilepsy severity contributed to the sleep disturbances. Evaluation of sleep problems should form part of the comprehensive care of children with severe epilepsy.
Ong
Lai Choo
LC
Department of Paediatrics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. onglc@ppukm.ukm.my
Yang
Wai Wai
WW
Wong
Sau Wei
SW
alSiddiq
Feizel
F
Khu
Yi Soon
YS
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology