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Parent survey of sleep problems among children with CHARGE syndrome
Benjamin A Kennert1, Timothy S Harshorne1, Sandra Kanouse1
1Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA.
Insights
Children with CHARGE syndrome experience frequent sleep initiation and maintenance issues. Positive bedtime routines and melatonin are perceived as most effective by parents for managing these sleep disturbances.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Genetics and Rare Diseases
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Sleep problems are prevalent in children, particularly those with developmental disabilities, visual impairments, and behavioral issues.
- Children with CHARGE syndrome often exhibit these comorbidities, leading to a high prevalence of clinically relevant sleep disturbances.
- Understanding the specific nature and treatment of sleep problems in this population is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the characteristics of sleep problems in children with CHARGE syndrome.
- To identify factors parents suspect contribute to these sleep issues.
- To document commonly used treatments and their perceived effectiveness by parents.
Main Methods:
- An explorative survey was conducted with 30 parents of children with CHARGE syndrome and comorbid sleep problems.
- The Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) was utilized.
- Custom demographic and sleep questionnaires were administered.
Main Results:
- Sleep initiation and maintenance problems were the most frequently reported issues.
- Suspected contributing factors included self-regulation difficulties, teeth grinding, hormonal imbalance, problem behaviors, and anxiety.
- Commonly used treatments included positive bedtime routines, melatonin, weighted blankets, and prescription medications.
Conclusions:
- Positive bedtime routines and melatonin treatment were perceived by parents as more effective than other interventions.
- Findings support the need for targeted research and interventions for sleep problems in children with CHARGE syndrome.
- These insights can guide healthcare professionals in recommending effective strategies for parents.
Abstract:
Sleep problems are common among children, especially those with developmental disabilities, visual impairments, and behavioral problems. Past research has indicated a particularly high prevalence of clinically-relevant sleep problems for children with CHARGE syndrome, who often possess all three of these qualities. To gather additional information regarding the nature of these sleep problems and how they are most commonly treated amongst parents, an explorative survey was conducted with 30 parents of children with CHARGE syndrome with comorbid sleep problems using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children, as well as demographic and sleep questionnaires developed for use in this study. Our findings indicated that problems of sleep initiation and maintenance were most commonly reported, consistent with previous research. Parents most often reported the following factors suspected of contributing to sleep problems: self-regulation difficulties, teeth grinding, hormonal imbalance, problem behaviors, and anxiety. The most commonly administered treatments were reported to be the use of positive bedtime routines, melatonin treatment, the use of a weighted blanket, and prescription medications, respectively. While parents reported overall that they felt all three of these intervention strategies were slightly effective at improving their child's sleep problem, the use of positive bedtime routines and melatonin treatment were perceived as more effective by parents. These results aid professionals in the selection of future research and intervention strategies to recommend for parents of children with CHARGE syndrome.
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