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Digital solutions for sleep problems in children: A pilot study

Stephanie E Tedford1, Lindsay Romano2, David Gozal3

  • 1Pharmacologix LLC, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Pediatric Pulmonology
|April 15, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia shows promise in treating pediatric sleep problems. A pilot study found improvements in sleep duration and reduced distress in children using a mobile app.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Digital Health Interventions
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Background:

  • Pediatric sleep difficulties are prevalent, with limited treatment options.
  • Technological advancements enable digital delivery of evidence-based sleep strategies.
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an effective approach.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the need for pediatric sleep problem treatments.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of a digitally-delivered CBT-I intervention for children.
  • To determine the viability of mobile applications in managing pediatric sleep issues.

Main Methods:

  • A survey of 218 participants identified the prevalence of sleep problems across age groups.
  • A pilot study enrolled 11 families with children experiencing sleep issues.
  • Participants received a 6-10 week mobile application-based digital intervention (DrLullaby) providing individualized CBT-I solutions.

Main Results:

  • 74% of surveyed families reported sleep problems in their children.
  • The digital intervention showed improvements in "time to fall asleep" (72.7%), "total time asleep" (54.5%), and "time awake" (63.6%).
  • Significant reductions were observed in "time awake" (mean change 75.6%), "time to fall asleep" (mean change 31.3%), and collective distress scale scores (35%).

Conclusions:

  • Digitally-delivered CBT-I is a viable and effective approach for treating pediatric sleep problems.
  • Mobile applications can successfully deliver individualized sleep solutions to children and families.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm these findings in larger pediatric populations.

Keywords:
cognitive behavioral therapydigital therapeuticsinsomniapediatric insomniasleep duration

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