Güneydoğu Anadolu Bölgesindeki Çocuklarda Uyku Alışkanlıkları ve Uyku Problemleri ile İlişkili Faktörler

Abstract

Objective: Sleep has an important role in child development and is necessary for supporting optimal health for lifetime. This study examined the sleep habits of children in southeastern Turkey and certain risk factors that contribute to sleep problems. Material and Methods: The study included 300 parents who visited the paediatric outpatient department of Gaziantep University Hospital and agreed to complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on the significant variables found in a review of the previous literature on childhood sleep, and was examined tested in a pilot study. Statistical significance was determined as p<0.05. Results: The ages of the children (171 males, 129 females) included in the study ranged from 1 month to 12 years (median age 2.0 years). Fifty-three percent (128) of the children experienced night waking, 38.0% (114) had difficulty falling asleep and 39.3% (118) demonstrated bedtime resistance. Difficulty in falling asleep and bedtime resistance were more common among children whose parents did something to soothe them when they woke up crying, and whose bedtime varied each night (p<0.05). Night waking was affected by factors such as soothing the child when waking up crying, irregular bedtime and sleeping during the daytime (p<0.05). Parents were more likely to soothe the children who slept in the same room (p<0.001). The mean night sleep duration was longer among children whose parents did preparations before sleeping (p=0.010). Conclusion: Sleep problems are very common in childhood. Certain factors such as irregular bedtime routines, varying bedtimes, and soothing activities are important factors in the development of sleep problems. Therefore, sleep problems and sleep quality should be assessed in routine visits to the paediatrician.