Sleep problems in preschool and school aged rural Indian children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Medicine
• Sleep Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Sleep problems affect children's health and development.
• Limited data exists on sleep issues in rural Indian pediatric populations.
• Early identification and intervention are crucial for managing childhood sleep disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence and types of sleep problems in rural Indian children.
• To compare sleep issues between preschool and school-aged children.
• To evaluate the utility of the BEARS tool in a rural pediatric setting.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 513 children (2-12 years) at a rural pediatric outpatient department.
• Utilized the BEARS (Bedtime problems, Sleepiness, Snoring, Breathing, Regularity, Sleep rate, Sleep position) tool for sleep problem assessment.
• Categorized children into two age groups: preschool (2-6 years) and school-aged (7-12 years).

Main Results:

• Significant differences in bedtime problems, excessive daytime sleepiness, night awakenings, and sleep regularity/duration were observed between age groups (P<0.001).
• Preschoolers reported higher rates of bedtime problems (33.3%) and daytime sleepiness (32.5%) compared to school-aged children.
• Sleep disordered breathing prevalence was similar across both age groups (4.8% vs 5%, P=0.1).

Conclusions:

• Sleep problems are common in rural Indian children across different age groups.
• Age-specific differences in sleep problem types necessitate tailored screening approaches.
• Routine screening for sleep problems using tools like BEARS should be integrated into pediatric primary care in rural settings.