Co-sleeping in school-aged children with a motor disability: a comparative population-based study

Abstract

Aim: To determine the prevalence and determinants of co-sleeping in school-aged children with a motor disability compared with the school-aged general population.

Method: A questionnaire on demographic characteristics and co-sleeping habits, along with the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC), was sent to parents of children aged between 4 years and 18 years followed in our tertiary paediatric neurorehabilitation clinic, and to school-aged children in a representative sample of state schools.

Result: We analysed responses for 245 children with motor disability (142 males, 103 females; mean age 10y 6mo, standard deviation [SD] 3y 10mo, range 4-18y) and 2891 of the general population (1484 males, 1497 females; mean age [SD] 9y 6mo [3y 5mo], range 4-18y) (response rates 37% and 26% respectively). Cerebral palsy was the most common diagnosis among children with motor disability. Weekly co-sleeping was significantly more common in children with motor disability than in the general population (11.8% vs 7.9% respectively, p=0.032). Special care of the child with motor disability at night, mainly addressing epilepsy, was reported as a cause of co-sleeping by two-thirds of parents. Factors associated with co-sleeping in the motor disability group were age, housing crowding, severe visual impairment, and pathological sleep according to the SDSC.

Interpretation: Co-sleeping is common among children with motor disability. It is influenced by personal and medical factors, as well as the requirements for special care at night. Therefore, health professionals should explore sleeping arrangements in families of children with motor disability.