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Sleepiness in Children: An Update

Gustavo Antonio Moreira1, Marcia Pradella-Hallinan2

  • 1Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925, São Paulo, São Paulo 04024-002, Brazil; Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 598, São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil.

Sleep Medicine Clinics
|August 6, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Sleepiness affects 4% of children, impacting learning, behavior, and health. Addressing underlying sleep issues is crucial for improving children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Child Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Adequate sleep is fundamental for children's cognitive functions, academic success, and overall health.
  • Childhood sleepiness, affecting approximately 4% of the pediatric population, is linked to significant daytime impairments.
  • Various medical conditions, including chronic pain, movement disorders, and sleep-disordered breathing, contribute to excessive daytime sleepiness in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted consequences of reduced sleep duration and sleepiness in children.
  • To explore the relationship between sleep disturbances and behavioral, cognitive, and physiological outcomes.
  • To highlight the utility of parent-report questionnaires in assessing subjective sleepiness.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review synthesizing current research on childhood sleepiness.
  • Analysis of the impact of sleep deficits on cognitive performance and behavior.
  • Discussion of diagnostic tools for evaluating pediatric sleepiness.

Main Results:

  • Shortened sleep duration in children leads to daytime sleepiness, behavioral issues, cognitive deficits, and poorer academic performance.
  • Sleepiness is associated with increased inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.
  • Parental reports are valuable for identifying subjective sleepiness in children.

Conclusions:

  • Sleepiness in children has wide-ranging negative effects on development and well-being.
  • Identifying and treating primary sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy or circadian rhythm disorders, is essential.
  • Comprehensive assessment, including parental input, is key to managing pediatric sleepiness.

Keywords:
ChildrenDaytime somnolenceNarcolepsyObstructive sleep apneaSleep deprivationSleepiness

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