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. 2020 Apr;118(2):e143-e147.
doi: 10.5546/aap.2020.eng.e143.

Causes and effects of lack of sleep in hospitalized children

[Article in English, Spanish]
Carlos R Vecchi  1
Affiliations
Free article

Causes and effects of lack of sleep in hospitalized children

[Article in English, Spanish]
Carlos R Vecchi. Arch Argent Pediatr. 2020 Apr.
Free article

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Sleep is a key function that takes up one third of our lives. Sleep deprivation may lead to physical and psychological disorders in the short and long term. Hospitalization, regardless of its cause, does not favor good enough and restorative sleep. It is affected by both external (light, noise) and internal (procedures, drugs, care) factors. The intensive care unit is the place where falling asleep and maintaining sleep is more difficult. This is in addition to disease severity and the characteristics of its structure and functioning. A poor sleep quantity or quality may trigger an acute confusional state, which often affects hospitalized children, known as delirium. Promoting a joint effort among all sectors of the hospital setting targeted at protecting sleep as much as possible is the required task.

El sueño es una función vital en la que transcurre un tercio de nuestras vidas. Su restricción puede provocar trastornos físicos y psíquicos a corto y largo plazo. La internación hospitalaria, sin tener en cuenta la enfermedad que la originó, no favorece un sueño reparador y suficiente. Los factores que interfieren son externos (luz, ruidos) e internos (procedimientos, fármacos, cuidados). La Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos es el lugar con mayor dificultad para la conciliación y el mantenimiento del sueño. Se suma la gravedad de la enfermedad y las características de su estructura y funcionamiento. El deterioro de la cantidad o calidad del sueño podría desencadenar un cuadro de confusión mental agudo que, con frecuencia, afecta a los niños internados, reconocido como delirium. Promover, en el medio institucional, un trabajo conjunto de todos los estamentos para proteger el sueño dentro de lo posible es una tarea por realizar.

Keywords: circadian rhythms; delirium; setting; sleep.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

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