title: High Prevalence of Sleep Problems in School- and Preschool-aged Children in Tehran: a Population Based Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sleep problems are experienced by 25-30 percent of children and adolescents, regardless of age. The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is any relationship between gender or school entrance and sleep complaints.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2008 to May 2009 children aged 2 to 12 years were selected by clustered randomization of families. The Persian version of the BEARS questionnaire (Bedtime problems, Excessive sleepiness, Awakenings during the night, Regularity of sleep, Snoring) with five domains was filled out by general pediatricians. Prevalence of sleep complaints in each B-E-A-R-S category was calculated and compared for pre-school and school-age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BEARS questionnaire was completed for a total of 746 children (2-12 years old); 325 in pre-school-age group (2-6 years old) (142 females [43.7%] and 183 males [56.3%]) and 421 in primary school-age group (7-12 years old) with the average age of 3.93 (±0.16) years and 9.63 (±0.16) years respectively. The most common screening problem in both groups was excessive daytime sleepiness (64.9% and 62.9% respectively). Bedtime problems and also regularity and duration of sleep were significantly more prevalent in pre-school-age group (P<0.0002; odds ratio [OR] =1.98; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 1.98-4.20; and OR=2.00; 95%CI: 1.41- 2.84 respectively). The difference between mean sleep duration between pre-school age and school-age groups was statistically significant (P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current survey shows that different types of sleep problems are relatively high especially in the form of excessive daytime sleeping domain in preschool- and school-aged children. Bedtime problems and regularity problems were significantly more prevalent in pre-school-age group. School entrance seems to play a positive role for bedtime problems, and sleep-disordered breathing.
authors.affiliation: Department Otolaryngology, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amintehran
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebarhim
authors.forename: Ghalehbaghi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Babak
authors.forename: Asghari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alimohammad
authors.forename: Jalilolghadr
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shabnam
authors.forename: Ahmadvand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alireza
authors.forename: Foroughi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forough
keywords: BEARS questionnaire; Children; Pediatric sleep; School; Sleep complaints
references.citation: Med Princ Pract. 2009;18(6):458-65
references.pmid: 19797922
references.citation: Arch Dis Child. 1994 Jul;71(1):74-6
references.pmid: 8067797
references.citation: Sleep. 1995 Oct;18(8):667-73
references.pmid: 8560133
references.citation: J Pediatr Health Care. 2003 Nov-Dec;17(6):324-31
references.pmid: 14610449
references.citation: Eur J Pediatr. 2010 Aug;169(8):1009-15
references.pmid: 20191392
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2009 May;123(5):1287-92
references.pmid: 19403493
references.citation: J Sleep Res. 2007 Mar;16(1):96-101
references.pmid: 17309768
references.citation: Behav Sleep Med. 2007;5(3):194-209
references.pmid: 17680731
references.citation: Sleep. 2004 Aug 1;27(5):978-85
references.pmid: 15453558
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2005 Jan;115(1 Suppl):241-9
references.pmid: 15866858
references.citation: Acta Paediatr. 2011 Mar;100(3):420-4
references.pmid: 20860707
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2001 Sep;108(3):E51
references.pmid: 11533369
references.citation: Sleep Med. 2005 Jan;6(1):63-9
references.pmid: 15680298
references.citation: Sleep Med. 2010 Jun;11(6):569-75
references.pmid: 20478740
references.citation: J Epidemiol. 2010;20(2):143-9
references.pmid: 20139658
references.citation: Sleep. 2005 Mar;28(3):337-42
references.pmid: 16173655
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1989 Sep;84(3):542-6
references.pmid: 2788868
references.citation: Child Care Health Dev. 2010 Nov;36(6):805-11
references.pmid: 20645995
references.citation: J Paediatr Child Health. 2010 Jan;46(1-2):10-6
references.pmid: 19943868
references.citation: Am Fam Physician. 2001 Jan 15;63(2):277-84
references.pmid: 11201693
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2001 Jun;107(6):1375-80
references.pmid: 11389260
references.citation: Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2012 May;76(5):646-8
references.pmid: 22341885
references.citation: Acta Med Okayama. 2012;66(2):93-9
references.pmid: 22525467