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Snoring in preschoolers: associations with sleepiness, ethnicity, and learning

Hawley E Montgomery-Downs1, V Faye Jones, Victoria J Molfese

  • 1Division of Pediatric Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Clinical Pediatrics
|November 7, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Disadvantaged preschoolers at risk for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) showed poorer academic performance and more hyperactivity. African American children faced higher SDB risk, independent of maternal education, highlighting disparities in early childhood health.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Child Development
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children is linked to academic difficulties.
  • Minority children face elevated risks for both SDB and poor school performance.
  • Socioeconomic status (SES) is a known factor influencing these health and academic disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between SES, SDB, and learning in preschoolers.
  • To identify specific risk factors for SDB in low-SES preschool populations.
  • To examine the role of race and maternal education in SDB and academic outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 1,010 validated parent questionnaires from low-SES white and African-American preschoolers.
  • Assessment of SDB risk based on parental reporting.
  • Analysis of academic performance, daytime sleepiness, and hyperactivity.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-two percent of disadvantaged preschoolers were identified as being at risk for SDB.
  • Children at risk for SDB were more frequently African American.
  • These children exhibited increased daytime sleepiness, lower academic performance, and hyperactivity, irrespective of maternal education level.

Conclusions:

  • Low socioeconomic status is associated with a significant prevalence of SDB risk in preschoolers.
  • African American children are disproportionately affected by SDB risk within low-SES groups.
  • SDB risk in this population is linked to adverse academic and behavioral outcomes, underscoring the need for targeted interventions.

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