Medical comorbidity of sleep disorders in children and adolescents

Helen Lazaratou1, Alexandra Soldatou, Dimitris Dikeos

  • 1Athens University Medical School, 1st Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece. elazar@med.uoa.gr

Insights

Pediatric sleep disorders frequently co-occur with medical conditions like obesity and genetic disorders. Early identification and management of these comorbidities are crucial for children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Childhood Medical Comorbidities

Background:

  • Sleep disorders are common in children and adolescents.
  • These sleep issues often present alongside various medical conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent literature on medical comorbidities in pediatric sleep disorders.
  • To highlight the frequent co-occurrence and its impact.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent findings.
  • Synthesis of data on sleep disorders and associated medical conditions.

Main Results:

  • Insomnia/short sleep linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome, growth hormone deficiency, allergies, chronic pain, neoplasms, and genetic disorders.
  • Hypersomnia associated with malignancies.
  • Obstructive sleep apnea linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome, endocrine, respiratory, and genetic conditions.
  • Parasomnias require differentiation from nocturnal epilepsy.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep disorders and medical conditions frequently coexist in pediatric populations.
  • This co-occurrence significantly affects overall health and quality of life.
Abstract

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