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Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges
08:22

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Published on: February 25, 2016

Risk factors and consequences of excessive autonomic activation during sleep in children

Pablo E Brockmann1, Michael S Urschitz, Anke Noehren

  • 1Department of Neonatology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany.

Sleep & Breathing = Schlaf & Atmung
|April 20, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Excessive autonomic activation during sleep (EAAS) in children is linked to male gender and sleep-disordered breathing. EAAS may predict enuresis and hyperactive behavior, indicating potential sleep disruption.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Autonomic Nervous System Function
  • Child Behavior

Background:

  • Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation can impact child development and health.
  • Understanding sleep-related ANS activity is crucial for identifying potential health issues in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify risk factors for excessive autonomic activation during sleep (EAAS) in primary school children.
  • To investigate the association between EAAS and sleep problems, behavioral issues, and academic performance.

Main Methods:

  • A community-based study involving 997 primary school children.
  • Nocturnal home pulse oximetry used to define autonomic activation (pulse rate increase >20%).
  • EAAS defined as ≥35.9 autonomic activations per hour (≥95th centile); compared with controls using parental questionnaires and school reports.

Main Results:

  • EAAS diagnosed in 52 children (67% male).
  • Risk factors included male gender (OR 2.06) and sleep-disordered breathing symptoms (OR 3.48).
  • EAAS associated with higher prevalence of hyperactivity (39.2% vs 26.0%) and enuresis (5.8% vs 0.8%), but not poor academic performance.

Conclusions:

  • Excessive autonomic activation during sleep (EAAS) may serve as a marker for sleep disruption in children.
  • EAAS is associated with increased risk of developing enuresis and hyperactive behavior.
Abstract

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