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Sleep positioning systems for children with cerebral palsy
Sharon F Blake1, Stuart Logan, Ginny Humphreys
1Peninsula Cerebra Research Unit (PenCRU), University of Exeter Medical School, Room 008, Veysey Building, Salmon Pool Lane, Exeter, Devon, UK, EX2 4SG.
Insights
Current research shows no evidence that sleep positioning systems prevent hip migration in children with cerebral palsy. Limited studies found no significant differences in sleep quality or pain for children using these systems.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Sleep positioning systems are prescribed for children with cerebral palsy (CP) to manage hip migration, pain, and sleep disturbances.
- Given the prevalence of sleep issues in children with developmental disabilities and the cost of these systems, evidence-based guidance is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of sleep positioning systems in reducing or preventing hip migration in children with CP.
- Secondary objectives included assessing effects on hip problems, sleep quality, quality of life, pain, and physical functioning, as well as identifying adverse effects.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (e.g., CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase) and trials registers.
- Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving children and adolescents (up to 18 years) with CP using whole-body sleep positioning systems were included.
- Data collection and analysis involved independent screening by two reviewers, quality assessment, and input from parent carers.
Main Results:
- No RCTs were identified evaluating the primary outcome of hip migration prevention.
- Two small RCTs (21 children) with high risk of bias found no significant differences in sleep patterns or quality.
- One small RCT (11 children) with high risk of bias found no significant difference in pain levels.
Conclusions:
- There is a lack of rigorous evidence from RCTs on the effectiveness of sleep positioning systems for hip migration in children with CP.
- Limited, low-quality evidence suggests no significant impact on sleep quality or pain.
- Further high-quality research is required to determine the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and safety of these systems for informed clinical decision-making.
Background:
Sleep positioning systems can be prescribed for children with cerebral palsy to help reduce or prevent hip migration, provide comfort to ease pain and/or improve sleep. As sleep disturbance is common in children with developmental disabilities, with impact on their carers' sleep, and as sleep positioning systems can be expensive, guidance is needed to support decisions as to their use.
Objectives:
To determine whether commercially-available sleep positioning systems, compared with usual care, reduce or prevent hip migration in children with cerebral palsy. Any negative effect of sleep positioning systems on hip migration will be considered within this objective.Secondary objectives were to determine the effect of sleep positioning systems on: (1) number or frequency of hip problems; (2) sleep patterns and quality; (3) quality of life of the child and family; (4) pain; and (5) physical functioning. We also sought to identify any adverse effects from using sleep positioning systems.
Search Methods:
In December 2014, we searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and 13 other databases. We also searched two trials registers. We applied no restrictions on date of publication, language, publication status or study design. We checked references and contacted manufacturers and authors for potentially relevant literature, and searched the internet using Google.
Selection Criteria:
We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating whole body sleep positioning systems for children and adolescents (up to 18 years of age) with cerebral palsy.
Data Collection And Analysis:
Two review authors independently screened reports retrieved from the search against pre-determined inclusion criteria and assessed the quality of eligible studies.Members of the public (parent carers of children with neurodisability) contributed to this review by suggesting the topic, refining the research objectives, interpreting the findings, and reviewing the plain language summary.
Main Results:
We did not identify any randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of sleep positioning systems on hip migration.We did find two randomised cross-over trials that met the inclusion criteria in respect of secondary objectives relating to sleep quality and pain. Neither study reported any important difference between sleeping in sleep positioning systems and not for sleep patterns or sleep quality (two studies, 21 children, very low quality evidence) and pain (one study, 11 children, very low quality evidence). These were small studies with established users of sleep positioning systems and were judged to have high risk of bias.We found no eligible trials that explored the other secondary objectives (number or frequency of hip problems, quality of life of the child and family, physical functioning, and adverse effects).
Authors' Conclusions:
We found no randomised trials that evaluated the effectiveness of sleep positioning systems to reduce or prevent hip migration in children with cerebral palsy. Nor did we find any randomised trials that evaluated the effect of sleep positioning systems on the number or frequency of hip problems, quality of life of the child and family or on physical functioning.Limited data from two randomised trials, which evaluated the effectiveness of sleep positioning systems on sleep quality and pain for children with cerebral palsy, showed no significant differences in these aspects of health when children were using and not using a sleep positioning system.In order to inform clinical decision-making and the prescription of sleep positioning systems, more rigorous research is needed to determine effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and the likelihood of adverse effects.
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