[Prevalence of sleep problems in children with cerebral palsy. Preliminary study]

The study is conducted to examine the sleep habits and sleep disorders in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP).

Sixty-one children and adolescents with diagnosis of CP were investigated via own questionnaires in Department of Developmental Neurology Poznan University of Medical Sciences. The test results of study group were compared to the data of control group (CG) composed of healthy children.

In our study 51.9% (27) children had a time of falling asleep longer than 20 minutes, in CG, only 35.0% it was statistically significant difference. 52.5% children with CP slept with somebody in the bed, 82% of children slept in shared bedrooms with family, almost 43% children with CP fell asleep in parent's presence. The day naps were observed in 49.2% of CP children, 27.7% of healthy. All differences were significant. The most frequent reported sleep disorders in parasomnia symptoms study group were bruxism 32.8% (in CG 16.0%); legs movement 29.5% (in CG 5.1%); nocturnal enuresis 24.6% (in CG 6.3%) and sleep breathing disorder symptoms like snoring 36.1% in CP group (19.7% in CG) and breathing pauses 14.8% (2.3% in CG).

Sleep habits in children with CP were significantly different form sleep habits in CG. The prevalence of sleep disorders symptoms like: snoring, breathing pauses, bruxism, nocturnal enuresis and awaking from night sleep was higher in CP group than in CG. The additional research on larger group of patients with CP is needed to correlate the prevalence of sleep disorder symptoms with motor impairment, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level and epilepsy.