Short-term prospective study of sleep disturbances in 5-8-year-old children

Abstract

The course and psychological correlates of disturbed sleep during middle childhood were investigated using parents' responses to questionnaires. Five specified sleep disturbances were explored in 614 5-8-y-old children, at baseline and at follow-up, 14 +/- 3 mo later. Difficulties falling asleep, in 6.2% of the children at baseline, persisted in 47.4% of the cases at follow-up; night-waking, in 18.6% at baseline, persisted in 45.5%; snoring, in 9.4% at baseline, persisted in 60%; nightmares, in 4.4% at baseline, persisted in 29.6%, and bedwetting, in 6% at baseline, persisted in 46%. Moreover, children with difficulties falling asleep at baseline frequently displayed bedtime resistance and shorter sleep at follow-up, while night-waking at baseline was related to co-sleeping at follow-up. Snoring at baseline was associated with a trend towards restless sleep at follow-up. Nightmares at baseline were related to several other sleep complaints as well as to behavioural difficulties during daytime at follow-up. Bedwetting at baseline was associated with tendencies towards hyperactivity at follow-up. Separate analyses of cases of persisting sleep disturbances showed that persisting difficulties falling asleep were associated with a need to remedy sleep problems, while persisting nightmares were strongly related to reports suggesting behavioural and emotional problems.

Conclusion: During middle childhood, difficulties falling asleep, night-waking, snoring, nightmares or bedwetting commonly persist over the course of a year. Persistent nightmares frequently indicate significant psychological problems in affected children.