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Habitual snoring and sleep bruxism in a paediatric outpatient population in Hong Kong
1Department of Paediatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, Waterloo Road, Hong Kong, SAR China. dkkng@ha.org.hk
Insights
Habitual snoring affects 14.5% of children in paediatric clinics, with 8.5% experiencing sleep bruxism. These conditions are closely linked, indicating a need for increased pediatrician awareness and further research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Clinical Epidemiology
Background:
- Habitual snoring and sleep bruxism are common pediatric concerns.
- Understanding their prevalence in clinical settings is crucial for timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of habitual snoring and sleep bruxism in children attending pediatric outpatient clinics.
- To explore the relationship between these two conditions.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted with parents of children in pediatric outpatient clinics.
- Data on habitual snoring, sleep bruxism, age, and sex were collected via questionnaires.
- Polysomnography was used for a subset of children to confirm snoring.
Main Results:
- Habitual snoring was identified in 14.5% of children, with a mean age of 6.2 years.
- Sleep bruxism was present in 8.5% of children.
- A strong association was found between habitual snoring and sleep bruxism (p < 0.0001), with 16 of 17 children with sleep bruxism also being habitual snorers.
Conclusions:
- Habitual snoring and sleep bruxism are prevalent in children visiting pediatric clinics.
- The close relationship between these conditions warrants attention from pediatricians.
- Further research is recommended to investigate the link between habitual snoring and sleep bruxism.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of habitual snoring and sleep bruxism in children attending the out-patient clinics of a paediatric department.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional survey of parents was conducted with questionnaire administered by paediatric nurses. Parents were recruited when they brought their children to the out-patient clinics. Sex and age were recorded. Presence and absence of habitual snoring and sleep bruxism were noted. Types of diseases that brought the children to the out-patient clinics were also noted.
Results:
Twenty-nine of the 200 recruited children were noted to have habitual snoring (14.5%, 95% C.I. 10%-20%). The mean age of these habitual snorers was 6.2 +/- 3.1 years. For habitual snorers, male to female ratio was 1.4 to 1. Sixteen of these 28 children accepted a sleep polysomnographic examination. Eleven children were found to have snoring during the night of study. Two were found to have obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Sleep bruxism was found in 17 children (8.5%, 95% C.I.5%-13%). Sleep bruxism was closely related to habitual snoring as 16 out of the 17 children with sleep bruxism were also habitual snorers (p < 0.0001).
Conclusion:
Habitual snoring and sleep bruxism were commonly found in children attending paediatric clinics. Paediatricians should be aware of these problems and be prepared to deal with them. Habitual snoring and sleep bruxism were closely related. Further studies into this relationship is needed.
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