Sleep Problems in Children and Adolescents with Common Medical Conditions

Abstract

Synopsis Sleep is critically important to children’s health and well-being. Untreated sleep disturbances and sleep disorders pose significant adverse daytime consequences and place children at considerable risk for poor health outcomes. Sleep disturbances occur at a greater frequency in children with acute and chronic medical conditions compared to otherwise healthy peers. Sleep disturbances in medically ill children can be associated with sleep disorders (e.g., sleep disordered breathing, restless leg syndrome), co-morbid with acute and chronic conditions (e.g., asthma, arthritis, cancer), or secondary to underlying disease-related mechanisms (e.g. airway restriction, inflammation) treatment regimens, or hospitalization. Clinical management should include a multidisciplinary approach with particular emphasis on routine, regular sleep assessments and prevention of daytime consequences and promotion of healthy sleep habits and health outcomes.

Sleep in adolescents and young adults

“…Most chronic illnesses have been recognised to impact on sleep -for example, asthma, cancer, epilepsy, kidney disease and sickle cell disease. 35 The impact on an individual's sleep may be related to a multitude of causes, including disease-specific factors, medication side effects, hospital admissions and psychological factors. As already highlighted, these interactions can be bidirectional and are therefore important to recognise.…”

Sleep Behaviors and Parent Functioning in Young Children With Type 1 Diabetes

“…atopic dermatitis), or nighttime caregiving behaviors related to illness management (e.g. ventilator-dependent; Lewandowski, Ward, & Palermo, 2011). As discussed, young children with type 1 diabetes may experience acute complications at night and parents may perform related nighttime caregiving, including checking BG levels and treating hypoglycemia; however, child sleep habits in this population have not been explored to date.…”

Relationship between Sleep Disorders, Pain and Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…17,18 Also evidences indicate that sleep in the chronic patients with pain is impaired, but the nature and severity of disturbances are unclear. 19 So recognizing sleep problems in these patients would help to improve their general health.…”