Association between sleep and behavioural problems among children with enuresis

Abstract

This study was conducted to describe sleep problems in a sample of children with enuresis and to investigate the association between sleep and behavioural problems. In this cross-sectional study, 100 children with enuresis were recruited from paediatric enuresis clinic. The children's sleep problems and behaviours were assessed by the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire and Child Behaviour checklist. The most frequently reported sleep problems were in daytime sleepiness, bedtime resistance and sleep anxiety subscales. Children with T-scores ≥ 60 in internalising, externalising and total behavioural problems had higher scores on daytime sleepiness subscale and total score than children with T-scores < 60. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that daytime sleepiness subscale was significantly related to behavioural disturbances. Sleep problems are common among this sample of children with enuresis, and the presence of sleep disturbance such as daytime sleepiness could explain the association between enuresis and disturbed daytime behaviour.