Bedsharing sleep characteristics in children with mild sleep-disordered breathing

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Sleep Medicine
• Child Psychology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) affects numerous children, with bedsharing being a common practice.
• Understanding how bedsharing impacts sleep in children with SDB is crucial for effective management.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the nuanced relationship between bedsharing and sleep patterns in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the associations between habitual bedsharing and sleep patterns in children diagnosed with mild sleep-disordered breathing (SDB).
• To investigate how age, SDB symptom burden, and internalizing symptoms (anxiety, depression) influence these associations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized baseline data from the Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial for Snoring (PATS) study.
• Evaluated parent-reported and actigraphy-based sleep patterns in a diverse sample of children (mean age 6.6 years) with mild SDB.
• Employed multivariable linear regressions and stratified analyses by age (younger <6 years, older ≥6 years).

Main Results:

• Bedsharing was reported by 38% of children, with higher prevalence in younger children (48%).
• In younger children, bedsharing correlated with approximately 30 minutes shorter nocturnal sleep duration and later sleep midpoint.
• In older children, bedsharing's association with shorter sleep duration was amplified by greater SDB symptom burden, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Bedsharing is associated with reduced sleep duration and later sleep timing in younger children with mild SDB.
• In older children with mild SDB, the impact of bedsharing on sleep is moderated by SDB severity and internalizing symptoms.
• These findings highlight the need to consider age-specific factors, co-occurring medical conditions, and emotional well-being in children with SDB who bedshare.