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Snoring and sleep disturbance among children from an orthodontic setting
1Department of Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4905, USA. ssn2@po.cwru.edu
Insights
This study found that 17% of children habitually snore. Snoring in children is linked to specific sleep behaviors like mouth breathing and sleep disturbances.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Dental Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Previous research on childhood snoring and sleep disturbance primarily focused on clinical settings for children with suspected obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.
- A gap exists in understanding snoring prevalence and associated behaviors in healthy children within non-clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of snoring and sleep disturbance in a general pediatric population.
- To identify specific sleep behaviors associated with an increased likelihood of snoring in children aged 6–17.
- To leverage an orthodontic setting for regular observation of healthy children.
Main Methods:
- A sleep behavior questionnaire was administered to parents/guardians of 405 children (aged 6–17).
- Chi-squared analysis was used for questionnaire response analysis.
- Factor analysis identified key sleep behavior domains, followed by logistic modeling to calculate snoring odds.
Main Results:
- Habitual snoring was reported in 17% of the participating children.
- Children who were mouth breathers or slept with their head tipped back had approximately three times greater odds of snoring.
- Morning headaches, frequent coughs, and colds were associated with 1.5 times greater odds of snoring.
Conclusions:
- Children who snore exhibit significantly more sleep behavior problems compared to non-snorers.
- Identifying specific sleep behaviors can help predict snoring risk in pediatric populations.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering sleep behaviors in pediatric health assessments.
Abstract:
Studies of snoring and sleep disturbance in the United States have been predominantly in clinic-based settings of children suspected to have obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to utilize an orthodontic setting in which healthy children were seen regularly to study the prevalence of snoring and sleep disturbance among 405 children aged 6 to 17 years of age and to identify specific sleep behavior patterns associated with the increased odds of snoring. A sleep behavior questionnaire was administered to the child's parent or guardian. The questionnaire responses were analyzed using chi(2) analysis, and factor analysis was used to extract meaningful domains. The selected domains were used later in a logistic model to calculate the odds of snoring. The results indicated that 17% of the children habitually snored. The odds of snoring were approximately three times greater among mouth breathers and children who slept with their head tipped back and 1.5 times greater among those with morning headaches and frequent coughs and colds. In conclusion, snorers have significantly more sleep behavior problems than do non-snorers.