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Sleep-Related Rhythmic Movement Disorder in Young Children with Down Syndrome: Prevalence and Clinical Features

Ceren Kose1, Izabelle Wood1, Amy Gwyther1

  • 1School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK.

Brain Sciences
|October 23, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Sleep-related Rhythmic Movement Disorder (RMD) is common in children with Down syndrome (DS), affecting sleep quality. Screening for RMD in children with DS is recommended as it is treatable.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Sleep-related Rhythmic Movement Disorder (RMD) affects 1% of UK pre-schoolers.
  • Limited data exists on RMD prevalence in children with Down syndrome (DS).

Purpose of the Study:

  • Determine RMD prevalence in children with DS (ages 1.5-8 years).
  • Compare phenotypic and sleep quality differences between DS children with and without RMD.
  • Assess night-to-night variability of rhythmic movements (RMs).

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a DS research registry to identify potential RMD cases.
  • Confirmed RMD using home video-somnography (3 nights).
  • Assessed sleep quality via actigraphy (5 nights) and explored phenotype with questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • Confirmed RMD in 8 children; estimated prevalence ranged from 4.10% to 15.38%.
  • Children with DS and RMD exhibited significantly lower sleep efficiency (69.1%) vs. controls (85.2%).
  • No significant daytime phenotypic differences were observed between RMD cases and controls.

Conclusions:

  • RMD is highly prevalent in children with DS, associated with poor sleep quality, and shows night-to-night variability.
  • No significant daytime phenotypic differences were found in this small sample.
  • Routine screening for RMD in children with DS is advised due to its treatable nature.

Keywords:
Down syndromeactigraphybody rockinghead bangingjactatio capitis nocturnarhythmic movement disorderrhythmie du sommeilsleepvideosomnography

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