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Sleep problems in a population-based cohort of primary school age children with Cerebral Palsy

Koa Whittingham1, Kath Benfer1, Leanne Sakzewski1

  • 1Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, UQ Child Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Australia.

Research in Developmental Disabilities
|February 16, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Sleep problems are common in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), affecting nearly half of those studied. These sleep issues are significantly linked to epilepsy, behavior challenges, and pain impacting quality of life (QOL).

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are prevalent in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), impacting their overall health and development.
  • Understanding the factors associated with sleep problems in this population is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of sleep problems in a population-based sample of school-aged children (8-12 years) with Cerebral Palsy (CP).

Main Methods:

  • Eighty-six children with CP (mean age 9.5 years) participated.
  • Assessments included the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC), Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66), Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and the CP-Quality of Life (CP-QOL) Pain Impact subscale.
  • Linear and logistic regression analyses were employed.

Main Results:

  • 44% of children with CP experienced sleep problems within the clinical range.
  • Sleep problems were significantly associated with epilepsy, gross motor function, manual ability, communication, child behavior, and pain-related quality of life.
  • In multivariable analysis, epilepsy, child behavior, and pain-related QOL remained significant predictors of sleep problems.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep problems are a common issue for children with Cerebral Palsy.
  • Epilepsy, challenging child behavior, and pain impacting quality of life are key associated factors requiring attention.
Abstract

Keywords:
Cerebral palsyChildrenSleepSleep disordersSleep problems

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