The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire in toddlers and preschool children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Sleep Medicine
• Child Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Behavioral Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Behavioral insomnias affect 20-40% of young children, representing a common concern raised during pediatrician visits.
• The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) is an established tool for assessing sleep problems in children aged 4-10.
• Previous research indicates CSHQ total scores can differentiate clinical and community samples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) in a younger age group (2 to 5.5 years).
• To assess the CSHQ's utility in a diverse population, including children with autism and developmental delays.
• To compare CSHQ responses between children with and without reported sleep problems.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 194 children (ages 2-5.5) across three groups: autism, developmental delay without autism, and typically developing.
• Parents completed the CSHQ and a sleep log; children underwent 7-day actigraphy monitoring.
• Children were categorized into problem and non-problem sleep groups based on initial parent reports.

Main Results:

• The CSHQ demonstrated clinical utility for screening sleep problems in young, typically developing children.
• The questionnaire was also effective in screening sleep issues among children with various neurodevelopmental diagnoses.
• Results suggest the CSHQ is a reliable tool for assessing sleep in preschool-aged children.

Conclusions:

• The CSHQ is a clinically useful screening tool for young children, including those with neurodevelopmental conditions.
• Higher subscale scores in younger children compared to older children suggest a higher prevalence of sleep problems in this age group.
• The findings support the use of the CSHQ for early identification and management of childhood sleep problems.