title: Pediatric epilepsy and parental sleep quality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of pediatric epilepsy on sleep in parents of epileptic children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort design in which the sleep quality of parents of epileptic children (POEC) and parents of nonepileptic children (PONEC) in the month preceding recruitment were compared using the self-administered Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mothers of epileptic children had a 7-fold occurrence of sleep disturbances when compared to mothers of non-epileptic children (OR = 6.66 CI 95% 1.10-70.08). The sleep characteristics that showed statistically significant differences were: sleep duration, sleep continuity, and self-evaluation of sleep quality (p < 0.05 for all parameters). No significant difference in sleep quality was found between fathers of epileptic children and fathers of nonepileptic children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sleep disturbances are more common in mothers of epileptic children. The sleep quality of mothers to epileptic children should be considered in their comprehensive management, and if necessary, the sleep disturbance should be addressed.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Saban Pediatric Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Shaki
authors: Aviv
authors: A
authors: Goldbart
authors: Sharon
authors: S
authors: Daniel
authors: Drora
authors: D
authors: Fraser
authors: Zamir
authors: Z
authors: Shorer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents; D012307:Risk Factors; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires