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Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
Published on: February 18, 2012
Circadian Sleep Patterns in Toddlers Born Preterm: Longitudinal Associations with Developmental and Health Concerns
Amy J Schwichtenberg1, Sharon Christ, Emily Abel
1*Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Sciences, West Lafayette, IN; Departments of †Psychological Sciences, ‡Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; §Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; ‖Department of Human Development and Family Studies, School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
Insights
Children born preterm with regular sleep patterns showed better cognitive development and fewer health issues later. Promoting healthy sleep in infancy may support development and well-being for these children.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Sleep Medicine
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Children born preterm face higher risks for developmental and health issues.
- Early sleep patterns are potential early indicators of these concerns.
- Understanding circadian rhythms in preterm infants is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between toddler circadian sleep/activity patterns and later developmental, behavioral, attentional, and health outcomes in preterm infants.
- To assess the impact of sleep regularity on cognitive skills, behavior, attention, and health in this high-risk population.
- To explore a novel pattern-based analysis of sleep/activity for developmental insights.
Main Methods:
- Circadian sleep/activity patterns were analyzed using time series analysis (TSA) in 99 preterm children at 2 years of age.
- Sleep data were collected via actigraphy and compared to a 24-hour circadian cycle (SCC).
- Cognitive skills were assessed at 3 years; behavior, attention, and health were reported at 3 and 6 years, with covariates including gender, prematurity, and sociodemographics.
Main Results:
- Toddlers with sleep patterns aligned with the SCC demonstrated higher intelligence quotient (IQ) scores at 3 years.
- Higher average activity levels in toddlers correlated with fewer attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms reported by teachers.
- Children with regular circadian patterns showed a reduced risk of illness-related medical visits at 6 years.
Conclusions:
- A novel pattern-based analysis of sleep/activity can identify circadian patterns with developmental significance in preterm infants.
- Findings suggest that promoting optimal circadian sleep patterns in early life may support cognitive and health development in children born preterm.
- Further research and replication are needed to validate these findings for clinical practice and early intervention strategies.
Objective:
Children born preterm are at elevated risk for several developmental and health concerns. Early sleep patterns may be associated with these concerns. The current study assesses the associations between toddler circadian sleep/activity patterns and later developmental, behavioral, attentional, and health concerns in this at-risk population.
Method:
We examined circadian sleep/activity patterns at 2 years of age in 99 children born preterm. Child cognitive skills were tested at 3 years of age, and behavior, attention, and health concerns were reported at 3 and 6 years of age. First, sleep/activity data collected via actigraphy were assessed using time series analysis (TSA). For this, we assessed how each child's sleep/activity pattern compared to a specified 24-hour circadian cycle (SCC) with an adjustment for daytime napping. Second, in a series of regression models child sleep/activity parameters from the TSA were assessed with child gender, prematurity, and family sociodemographic assets as covariates.
Results:
Toddlers with patterns that closely aligned with the SCC had higher abbreviated intelligence quotient scores at 3 years of age. Additionally, at 6 years these children had a lower risk for illness-related medical visits. Higher toddler average activity level was associated with fewer teacher-reported attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and a lower risk for illness-related medical visits.
Conclusion:
The novel approach used in this study to index child circadian patterns provides a pattern-based analysis of sleep/activity, which may prove to be developmentally consequential. With replication, these findings may help practitioners promote optimal cognitive and health development via circadian sleep supports in infants born preterm.
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