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Sleep disturbances in school-age children with chronic pain

Anna C Long1, Vidhya Krishnamurthy, Tonya M Palermo

  • 1Oregon Health & Science University, USA. longann@ohsu.edu

Journal of Pediatric Psychology
|December 15, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Sleep disturbances are common in children with chronic pain, impacting their daily functioning. Addressing sleep issues is crucial for improving outcomes in pediatric chronic pain conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Rheumatology
  • Pediatric Hematology
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • Chronic pain conditions in children, including juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), sickle cell disease (SCD), and headache (HA), significantly impact quality of life.
  • Sleep disturbances are frequently reported in pediatric populations but their specific association with functional outcomes in chronic pain remains an area for further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between pain, functional outcomes, and sleep disturbances in children diagnosed with JIA, SCD, and HA.
  • To evaluate sleep disturbances as a predictive factor for functional disability and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in these pediatric chronic pain cohorts.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 100 children aged 8-12 years with JIA, SCD, or HA participated in the study.
  • Children and their caregivers completed validated questionnaires assessing pain, depression, functional disability, sleep habits, and HRQOL.

Main Results:

  • Over half (53%) of children with chronic pain exhibited sleep disturbances exceeding clinical cutoffs.
  • Parent-reported data indicated that sleep disturbances were significant predictors of diminished physical HRQOL and increased functional disability.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep disturbances are prevalent among school-aged children experiencing chronic pain.
  • The findings underscore the clinical relevance of assessing and managing sleep problems to improve daytime functioning and overall well-being in pediatric chronic pain patients.
Abstract

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