Related Experiment Videos
Sleep-wake patterns in children with intrauterine growth retardation
Yael Leitner1, Aviva Mimouni Bloch, Avi Sadeh
1The Institute for Child Development and Pediatric Neurology Unit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. blochy@netvision.net.il
Insights
Children with intrauterine growth retardation show poorer sleep quality, with over half classified as "poor sleepers." This disturbed sleep may be linked to their neurodevelopmental profile, though not directly correlated with behavior issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is associated with increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Sleep disturbances are common in at-risk pediatric populations.
- Understanding sleep patterns in IUGR children is crucial for identifying potential developmental challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize sleep patterns in children aged 4-7 years with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).
- To investigate potential correlations between sleep quality and behavioral, concentration, and attention problems in these children.
- To compare sleep parameters between IUGR children and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Utilized actigraphy to objectively measure sleep patterns in 26 children with IUGR and 47 controls (aged 4-7 years).
- Collected parental data on sleep habits, behavior, concentration, and attention.
- Defined
- poor sleepers
- as having sleep efficiency <90% or ≥3 waking episodes per night.
Main Results:
- Children with IUGR exhibited a tendency towards poorer sleep quality compared to controls.
- True sleep time was significantly lower in the IUGR group.
- A higher percentage of IUGR children (58%) were classified as "poor sleepers" versus controls (40%).
- Trends towards increased sleep fragmentation, prolonged waking, and decreased sleep efficiency were observed but not statistically significant.
- No significant correlations were found between sleep quality and behavior, concentration, or attention issues.
Conclusions:
- Children with IUGR demonstrate a disturbed sleep profile, potentially integral to their neurodevelopmental characteristics.
- Objective sleep measures like actigraphy are valuable in characterizing sleep in at-risk pediatric populations.
- Further research is needed to explore the long-term implications of these sleep disturbances and their relationship with neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to characterize the sleep patterns of children with intrauterine growth retardation, known to be at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, and seek a possible correlation with behavior, concentration, and attention problems. The sleep patterns of 26 children with intrauterine growth retardation aged 4 to 7 years were compared with those of 47 control children using activity monitors (actigraphs). In addition, data were collected from the parents regarding sleep habits, behavior, concentration, and attention. Children with intrauterine growth retardation aged 4 to 7 years were found to have a tendency toward poorer quality of sleep than their matched controls. This inclination was statistically significant only for one sleep measure, the true sleep time. A tendency toward increased fragmentation of sleep, prolonged waking, and decreased sleep efficiency, although not statistically significant in this study, was demonstrated. Our results showed that 58% of the children with intrauterine growth retardation, compared with 40% of the children in the control group, could be defined as "poor sleepers" (sleep efficiency lower than 90% or three or more waking episodes per night). This disturbed sleep profile is probably an integral part of the neurodevelopmental profile typical of these at-risk children. No significant correlations were found between sleep quality and behavior, concentration, and attention problems.