0267 SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING AND LOW SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The SEALION (Sleep Education and Learning in Our Neighbourhood) study aimed to estimate the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in a large community sample of New Zealand (NZ) 6 to 10-year-old children and investigate whether children with SDB are more at risk for not progressing adequately within the NZ curriculum. Parents/caregivers of 6 to 10 year-old children were recruited through NZ primary schools and parent-targeted Facebook advertisements. 1621 NZ parents/caregivers completed the on-line survey covering items including: the extent and severity of SDB symptoms (SDB scale of the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire); and children’s academic performance based on teacher feedback relative to National Standards (well below/below/at/above) across domains of reading, writing, and mathematics. Preliminary analysis (n=1621) shows the prevalence of children “at risk” of SDB as rated by their parents was 19.0% (95% CI = 17.1 - 21.0%). The proportion of children “at risk” of SDB who were achieving below the National Standards was 26.3% for reading, 32.8% for writing, and 29.2% for maths. Of the children “not at risk” of SDB, 13.5% were achieving below National Standards for reading, 18.6% for writing, and 13.5% for math, according to parent report. For those children at risk of SDB, the odds ratio of being below the National Standards compared to those not at risk was 1.9 for reading, 1.8 for writing, and 2.2 for math, after adjustment for ethnicity, gender, age, and mother’s education (all P < 0.01). These preliminary findings suggest that more NZ children with, than without, SDB may be performing below National Standards for academic performance. Equipping teachers and parents to be able to identify children at risk of sleep problems could facilitate early screening and referral for possible diagnosis and treatment to benefit the children’s long term health and potentially academic development. Freemasons of New Zealand Fellowship in Paediatrics, The Grand Lodge of New Zealand.