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Sleep Duration and Quality and Sensory Reactivity in School-Aged Children: The Spanish Cross-Sectional InProS Study
Paula Fernández-Pires1, Desirée Valera-Gran1,2, Miriam Hurtado-Pomares1,2,3
1Department of Surgery and Pathology, Miguel Hernández University, Alicante, Spain.
Insights
Poor sleep quality in children aged 3-7 is linked to increased sensory reactivity. This study highlights the connection between inadequate sleep and heightened sensory processing differences in children without medical conditions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Sleep Science
Background:
- While the link between children's sleep and overall health is established, research on sleep and sensory reactivity in typically developing children is limited.
- Previous studies often used small sample sizes, necessitating larger population-based investigations.
- Sensory reactivity, encompassing how children respond to sensory input, is a key aspect of development and daily functioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between sleep duration and quality and the prevalence of sensory reactivity in a population-based sample of children aged 3-7.
- To explore potential links between specific sleep parameters and various sensory processing patterns.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional population-based study involving 579 school-aged children (InProS project).
- Sleep duration categorized as <10 hours vs. ≥10 hours/day; sleep quality assessed using the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (poor quality defined as score ≥0.33).
- Sensory reactivity evaluated using the Short Sensory Profile (SSP), with prevalence ratios (PR) calculated via Poisson regression models.
Main Results:
- 10.4% of children exhibited poor sleep quality. Sensory reactivity prevalence varied across SSP subscales, with 'under-responsive/seeks sensation' (49.1%) and 'low energy/weak' (44.4%) being most common.
- Poor sleep quality was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of overall sensory reactivity (PR = 1.27) and specific sensitivities including tactile (PR = 1.09), taste/smell (PR = 1.18), movement, auditory filtering (PR = 1.31), low energy/weak, and visual/auditory processing.
- These associations remained significant after adjusting for potential confounding factors.
Conclusions:
- Poor sleep quality is statistically linked to a greater prevalence of sensory reactivity in children aged 3-7, as measured by the total SSP and most subscales.
- This study provides novel evidence for the association between poor sleep quality and sensory reactivity in a general population of children.
- Further prospective research is recommended to confirm these findings and explore underlying mechanisms.
Abstract:
Background: The relationship between children's sleep and health has been widely examined; however, research focused on the link between sleep and sensory reactivity in children without medical conditions is relatively new and based on studies with small samples. Hence, we aimed at exploring the association between sleep duration and quality and prevalence of sensory reactivity in a population-based sample of children aged 3-7. Methods: We examined data on 579 school-age children from the InProS project, a cross-sectional population-based study. Children's sleep duration was classified as <10 vs. ≥10 h/day, and sleep quality was measured using the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire, defining poor quality sleep as a score of ≥0.33. The Short Sensory Profile (SSP) was used to classify children with or without sensory reactivity using the cut-off points proposed by W. Dunn for SSP total score and each SSP subscale. Prevalence ratios (PR) using Poisson multiple regression models with robust variance were estimated to examine main associations. Results: Around a third (32.6%; n = 189) slept <10 h/day and 10.4% presented poor sleep quality. The prevalence of sensory reactivity was 29.5% for total SSP (<155), 11.4% for tactile sensitivity (<30), 15% for taste/smell sensitivity (<15), 22.5% for movement sensitivity (<13), 49.1% for under-responsive/seeks sensation (<27), 44.4% for auditory filtering (<23), 12.4% for low energy/weak (<26), and 25.4% for visual/auditory sensitivity (<19). Main findings indicated that poor sleep quality was significantly associated with a greater prevalence of sensory reactivity for SSP total score (PR = 1.27; IC 95%: 1.18; 1.38), tactile sensitivity (PR = 1.09, IC95%: 1.00-1.19), taste/smell sensitivity (PR = 1.18, IC95%: 1.08-1.30), under-responsive/seeks sensation (PR = 1.28, IC95%: 1.20-1.37), auditory filtering (PR = 1.31, IC95%: 1.23-1.39), low energy/weak (PR = 1.14, IC95%: 1.04-1.25) and audiovisual sensitivity (PR = 1.15, IC95%: 1.05-1.26) scores after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusions: In this study, we observed that poor sleep quality was statistically significantly associated with a higher prevalence of sensory reactivity as measured by the total SSP and almost all SSP subscales. To our knowledge, this is the first time that this association has been explored and reported. Further research from prospective studies is required to confirm these findings.
