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Prevalence of Sleep Disturbances in Children With Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Amy K Licis1, Alicia Vallorani, Feng Gao

  • 11Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.

Journal of Child Neurology
|September 26, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) experience more sleep disturbances, including issues with sleep onset, maintenance, and arousal. These findings highlight the need for targeted sleep interventions in this neurodevelopmental disorder population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders frequently present with sleep disturbances.
  • Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common genetic neurodevelopmental disorder.
  • Sleep problems significantly impact a child's quality of life, cognition, and behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and types of sleep disturbances in children with NF1.
  • To compare sleep patterns in children with NF1 to their unaffected siblings.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 129 children with NF1 and 89 unaffected siblings (ages 2-17).
  • Utilized the validated Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) questionnaire.
  • Analyzed sleep disturbance categories including sleep onset/maintenance, arousal, sleep-wake transition, and hyperhidrosis.

Main Results:

  • Children with NF1 showed significantly higher rates of sleep disturbances in multiple domains compared to controls.
  • Specific issues included difficulties initiating/maintaining sleep, arousal problems, and hyperhidrosis.
  • No significant differences were found in abnormal sleep breathing or excessive somnolence.
  • Elevated overall sleep disturbance scores in NF1 were independent of ADHD, cognitive impairment, or stimulant use.

Conclusions:

  • Children with NF1 exhibit a higher likelihood of experiencing various sleep disturbances.
  • These sleep issues are not solely explained by co-occurring conditions like ADHD or cognitive deficits.
  • Findings underscore the importance of screening for and addressing sleep problems in pediatric NF1 patients.

Keywords:
NF1brain tumorneurocutaneous disorderssleep disturbances

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