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Sleep in Children with Congenital Malformations of the Central Nervous System
Jacqueline F Yates1, Matthew M Troester2, David G Ingram3
1Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, MO, USA.
Insights
Children with central nervous system (CNS) malformations frequently experience sleep disorders, including insomnia and breathing issues. Understanding these sleep problems is crucial for improving patient and caregiver quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Congenital central nervous system (CNS) malformations can occur independently or as part of broader genetic syndromes.
- Sleep disturbances are a common and significant health challenge for affected children, encompassing insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders, and circadian rhythm disruptions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent research on sleep disorders in children with various congenital CNS malformations.
- To synthesize evidence for clinicians to aid in the diagnosis and management of sleep problems in this population.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent research findings.
- Synthesis of evidence on sleep disturbances associated with specific CNS malformations and syndromes.
Main Results:
- Sleep disorders are prevalent in children with CNS malformations such as septo-optic dysplasia, agenesis of the corpus callosum, Chiari malformation, and spina bifida.
- Sleep disturbances can stem from direct anatomical brain differences (e.g., apnea in Chiari malformation) or complex, yet-to-be-fully-understood pathophysiological links.
Conclusions:
- Effective diagnosis and management of sleep problems can significantly enhance the quality of life for children with CNS malformations and their families.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the pathophysiology connecting CNS malformations with specific sleep disorders.
Purpose Of Review:
Congenital malformations of the central nervous system may be seen in isolation or in association with syndromes that have multiorgan involvement. Among the potential health challenges these children may face, sleep concerns are frequent and may include chronic insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders, and circadian rhythm disorders.
Recent Findings:
In this review, we describe recent research into sleep disorders affecting children with congenital malformations of the CNS including visual impairment, septo-optic dysplasia, agenesis of the corpus callosum, Aicardi syndrome, Chiari malformation, spina bifida, achondroplasia, Joubert syndrome, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and congenital Zika syndrome. In many cases, the sleep disturbance can be directly related to observed anatomical differences in the brain (such as in apnea due to Chiari malformation), but in most syndromes, a complete understanding of the underlying pathophysiology connecting the malformation with sleep problem is still being elucidated. Our review provides a synthesis of available evidence for clinicians who treat this patient population, in whom appropriate diagnosis and management of sleep problems may improve the quality of life for both patient and caregiver.
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