Gender, socioeconomic, and ethnic differences in sleep patterns in school-aged children

Objectives: Age-related changes in sleep behavior are well described in children, yet the effect of gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity is less clear. These factors are important when developing culturally and socially appropriate guidelines for healthy sleep. The objective of our study was to examine the effects of age, gender, SES, and ethnicity on sleep patterns in school-aged children. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted through primary schools in Adelaide, South Australia. Parents reported demographic information and sleep patterns for school and non-school days for 1845 children aged 5 to 10 years. Results: 48% of the cohort were boys (mean age, 7.7 ± 1.7 y), 85% were Caucasian, and there was an equal distribution across defined SES bands. Sleep duration reduced with age and was shorter on non-school than school nights as a result of later bedtimes. Boys, children from low SES areas, and non-Caucasian children reported shorter sleep times than girls, children from high SES areas, and Caucasian children, respectively. Non-Caucasian children from low SES areas reported the shortest sleep opportunity. Conclusions: The results from our study suggest that in addition to biological mechanisms, sleep behaviors are culturally and socially driven and should be considered when developing recommendations for healthy sleep in children.

Differences in parental attitudes towards sleep and associations with sleep-wake patterns in Caucasian and Southeast Asian school-aged children in Australia

Caucasian (N = 47) and Southeast (SE) Asian (N = 36) families completed a questionnaire on their attitudes toward sleep, as well as a 7-day sleep diary for their children aged 5 to 11 years. Cultural differences were found in the perceived importance of sleep, particularly compared to homework and belief of how much sleep a child needs. Differences were also found in sleep-wake behaviors and amount of time spent on homework, with SE Asian children reporting a shift in sleep timing and increased homework load compared to Caucasian counterparts. Parental attitudes toward sleep, perception of sleep need, and homework load were not associated with the regulation of actual sleep behaviors in children, regardless of cultural heritage.

Cognition, temperament, and cerebral blood flow velocity in toddlers and preschool children with sleep-disordered breathing or behavioral insomnia of childhood

Cognitive decrements, problematic behaviors, and increased cerebral blood flow velocities (CBFVs) have been reported in children aged 3–7 years with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Whether similar impairments exist in younger children or those with behavioral insomnia of childhood (BIC) remains unclear. This study aimed to compare cognition and temperament in children aged 1–5 years with SDB or BIC to healthy control children, and to investigate whether cognitive or behavioral deficits associated with sleep problems are related to changes in CBFV. Method: Toddlers and preschool-aged children (12–67 months) who had been referred for the clinical evaluation of SDB (n = 20) or BIC (n = 13) and a comparative sample of non-snoring healthy sleepers (controls; n = 77) were recruited from the community. Children underwent cognitive assessment (Mullen’s Scale of Early Learning) and measurement of resting bilateral CBFV in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) using Transcranial Doppler. Parents completed temperament scales (Early Childhood or Childhood Behavior Questionnaire), a sleep problem questionnaire (Pediatric Sleep Problem Survey Instrument) and performed home-based pediatric sleep monitoring (Actigraphy and Sleep Diary). Results: SDB children demonstrated impaired receptive skills, more hyperactive and energetic temperaments, and higher bilateral CBFV than controls and childrenwith BIC. Logistic regression analyses indicated that impaired cognition, temperamental difficulties, and increased CBFV are independently associated with SDB. Conclusions: During early childhood, problematic temperaments, cognitive deficits, and altered cerebrovascular functioning are associated with SDB but not BIC. CBFV does not appear to mediate these daytime deficits and instead may be an independent outcome of SDB. The findings support the need for an early intervention in pediatric SDB

Acute sleep restriction does not affect declarative memory in 10-year-old girls

The study aim was to determine the effects of sleep restriction (5 h of time in bed) compared with 10 h of sleep opportunity on declarative memory function in young children. Fourteen girls attended a sleep laboratory for three nights: adaptation, control, and restriction. The Auditory Verbal Learning Task (AVLT) measured declarative memory performance before and after sleep. No significant differences were found in performance between control and sleep restriction. Performance deteriorated in all delayed recall trials, with significant differences found between pre- and post-sleep trials in both conditions. Memory function in children, as measured by the AVLT, is not affected by acute sleep restriction. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Japanese Society of Sleep Research.Sarah N. Biggs, Katie M.M. Bauer, Jacqueline Peters, Jillian Dorrian, J. Declan Kennedy, James Martin and Kurt Lushingto

Gender, socioeconomic, and ethnic differences in sleep patterns in school-aged children

ObjectivesAge-related changes in sleep behavior are well described in children, yet the effect of gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity is less clear. These factors are important when developing culturally and socially appropriate guidelines for healthy sleep. The objective of our study was to examine the effects of age, gender, SES, and ethnicity on sleep patterns in school-aged children.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted through primary schools in Adelaide, South Australia. Parents reported demographic information and sleep patterns for school and non-school days for 1845 children aged 5 to 10years.Results48% of the cohort were boys (mean age, 7.7±1.7y), 85% were Caucasian, and there was an equal distribution across defined SES bands. Sleep duration reduced with age and was shorter on non-school than school nights as a result of later bedtimes. Boys, children from low SES areas, and non-Caucasian children reported shorter sleep times than girls, children from high SES areas, and Caucasian children, respectively. Non-Caucasian children from low SES areas reported the shortest sleep opportunity.ConclusionsThe results from our study suggest that in addition to biological mechanisms, sleep behaviors are culturally and socially driven and should be considered when developing recommendations for healthy sleep in children.Sarah N. Biggs, Kurt Lushington, A. James Martin, Cameron van den Heuvel, J. Declan Kenned