Search

Parenting behaviours play a major role in the evolution of infant sleep. Sleep problems in infancy have been associated with excessive parental involvement at night-time, and with shorter delays in response to infant night wakings and signalling. Infant crying and sleep problems are linked, yet little is known about the impact of parental responses to crying on infant sleep patterns. This study examined the hypothesis that lower parental tolerance for crying is associated with infant sleep problems. We studied 144 married couples divided into three groups: parents of infants suffering from night-waking problems (i.e. the clinical group), parents of infants without sleep problems and childless couples. Crying tolerance was assessed using questionnaires, audio recordings of crying infants and using a novel paradigm, in which participants were shown a video of a crying infant and asked when they would intervene. Parents in the clinical group demonstrated shorter intervention delays in the crying infant clip (group effect: P < 0.0001), and tended to attribute more distress to the crying infants compared to parents in both control groups ( P < 0.05). Additionally, women demonstrated lower tolerance for infant crying on most measures compared to men. Our results suggest that parents of sleep-disturbed infants appear to have lower tolerance for infant crying, which may be a predisposition underlying their excessive involvement in soothing their infants to sleep which may lead to the development of sleep problems. These preliminary findings should be explored further to assess their clinical validity and utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hippocrates flagged the value of sleep for good health. Nonetheless, historically, researchers with an interest in developmental psychopathology have largely ignored a possible role for atypical sleep. Recently, however, there has been a surge of interest in this area, perhaps reflecting increased evidence that disturbed or insufficient sleep can result in poor functioning in numerous domains. This review outlines what is known about sleep in the psychiatric diagnoses most relevant to children and for which associations with sleep are beginning to be understood. While based on a comprehensive survey of the literature, the focus of the current review is on the latest science (largely from 2010). There is a description of both concurrent and longitudinal links as well as possible mechanisms underlying associations. Preliminary treatment research is also considered which suggests that treating sleep difficulties may result in improvements in behavioural areas beyond sleep quality. Findings To maximise progress in this field, there now needs to be: (a) greater attention to the assessment of sleep in children; (b) sleep research on a wider range of psychiatric disorders; (c) a greater focus on and examination of mechanisms underlying associations; (d) a clearer consideration ofdevelopmental questions and (e) large-scale well-designed treatment studies. Conclusions While sleep problems may sometimes be missed by parents and healthcare providers; hence constituting a hidden risk for other psychopathologies - knowing about these difficulties creates unique opportunities. The current excitement in this field from experts in diverse areas including developmental psychology, clinical psychology, genetics and neuropsychology should make these opportunities a reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal study assessed the role of early sleep patterns in predicting attention regulation and behavior problems. Sleep of 43 infants was assessed using actigraphy at 12 months of age and then reassessed when the children were 3–4 years old. During this follow-up, their attention regulation and behavior problems were also assessed using a computerized test and parental reports. Lower quality of sleep in infancy significantly predicted compromised attention regulation and behavior problems. These findings underscore the need to identify and treat early sleep problems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights: [•] Children in Asia have considerably later bedtimes and shorter nighttime sleep. [•] Many parents perceived that their preschooler had a sleep problem (15% in Korea and 44% in China). [•] Most children in Asian countries continue to nap, whereas most in Caucasian countries stop by the age of 5years. [•] Bed sharing and room sharing are common in Asian countries. [•] There are significant cross-cultural temporal differences in sleep but not in total duration of sleep over 24h in preschoolers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To characterize sleep patterns and sleep problems in a large sample of young children (birth to 36 months) in Australia (AU) and New Zealand (NZ). Methods: Parents and caregivers of 2154 infants and toddlers in AU and NZ completed an expanded version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Results: Overall, young children in AU and NZ go to bed relatively early (19:35), awaken on average 1.08 times per night for an average of 23 min, have a low likelihood of bed-sharing with parents (7.2%) and obtain an average of 13.24 h total sleep. However, a significant percentage of parents perceive that their child has a sleep problem (30.69%). Sleep patterns in these children demonstrate clear developmental changes, including a decrease in daytime sleep and total sleep time, as well as consolidation of sleep during the night (decrease in night wakings and nocturnal wakefulness). Parents in AU and NZ are also highly likely to encourage independence and self-soothing, especially after the age of 3 months. Conclusions: These findings provide parents and professionals reference data for assessing sleep in young children, as well as common parenting practices related to sleep behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To assess the feasibility of conducting home-based sleep restriction studies with actigraphic monitoring of sleep and a new online continuous performance test (OCPT). Methods: Thirty-four university undergraduate students (24 females, 19–30years old) underwent repeated home assessments using self-administered OCPT following a regular night of sleep (8h or more) and following sleep restriction (4h of sleep) in a within–between subjects counter-balanced design. Actigraphy was used to monitor sleep. OCPT sessions were scheduled in the morning and the evening of days following normal and restricted sleep. Results: OCPT measures demonstrated acceptable test–retest reliability. Actigraphic monitoring revealed good compliance with sleep requirements, and reported alertness reflected significant effects of sleep manipulation (p <.0001). In comparison to performance following an 8-h sleep night, sleep restriction to 4h was associated with a significant increase in omission errors in the high-target section of the test (p <.0005) and with a significant increase in omission errors in the low-target section of the test (p <.01). Conclusions: These preliminary results support the feasibility of conducting home-based sleep restriction studies and the validity of the online version of the OCPT, suggesting that it may serve as a sensitive tool for assessment of sleep restriction/deprivation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sleep problems are very prevalent during infancy. The most common problems are those related to night wakings and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Most common night waking problems do not have identified physiologic etiology. Their causes appear to be behavioral or developmental by nature, and they usually respond well to behavioral interventions. SDB may result from a variety of anatomic and neurologic factors and is associated with a variety of medical and developmental disorders. Because of the high prevalence of sleep problems during infancy, their persistence, their potential adverse developmental effects, and the positive treatment outcomes, pediatricians should serve as the primary address for screening and referral to proper assessment and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assesses the sleep patterns, sleep disruptions and sleepiness of school-age children. Delayed sleep onset times in older children; Increase percentage of motionless sleep and more time in sleep in girls; Absence in age difference in any of sleep quality measures; Association of sleep-wake measures to family stress, parental age and parental education.

Presents information on a study which compares the stability of the sleep-wake system of children with attention-deficit or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in United States. Use of actigraphy in assessing sleep in children with ADHD and control children; Comparison of sleep patterns of children; Methodology; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

Describes two months of monitoring of sleep patterns and aggressive behaviors in a totally blind, severely retarded adolescent boy, hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital. Documented sleep-wake disorder; Biobehavioral timing mechanism in aggressive behaviors.

Abstract: Objective: Despite their high prevalence in daily life, repeated night-wakings and their cognitive and emotional consequences have received less research attention compared to other types of sleep disturbances. Our aim was to experimentally compare the effects of one night of induced infrequent night-wakings (of ∼15min, each requiring a purposeful response) and sleep restriction on sustained attention and mood in young adults. Methods: In a within-between subjects counterbalanced design, 61 healthy adults (40 females; aged 20–29years) underwent home assessments of sustained attention and self-reported mood at two times: after a normal (control) sleep night, and after a night of either sleep restriction (4h in bed) or induced night-wakings (four prolonged awakenings across 8h in bed). Sleep was monitored using actigraphy and sleep diaries. Sustained attention was assessed using an online continuous performance test (OCPT), and mood was reported online using the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Results: Actigraphic data revealed good compliance with experimental sleep requirements. Induced night-wakings and sleep restriction both resulted in more OCPT omission and commission errors, and in increased depression, fatigue and confusion levels and reduced vigor compared to the normal sleep night. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the consequences of induced awakenings and sleep restriction. Conclusions: Our pilot study indicates that, similar to sleep restriction, one night of life-like repeated night-wakings negatively affects mood and sustained attention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]