Sleep In Infants –A Pilot Study In North Karnataka

Abstract

Background: Normal growth and development, emotional wellness, and immune function all require adequate sleep. Sleep is commonly thought to be a time when the mind and body relax and recover, but in reality, sleep is a period of significant neuronal and physiological activity. This study intends to find the prevalence of sleep disturbance in typically developing infants.Methodology:The study included 60 participants. The parents of the participants who met the study criteriawere administered a questionnaire including demographic details of the child and questions pertaining to the sleep behaviour of their child during the first 12 months of life. The data collected was subjected to appropriate statistical analysis.Result: The study included 60 participants of either gender in the age group of 12-24 months. The mean birthweight of all the children was 2891.6 (±553.9) grams. The mean age of sleep development of all participants was 4.18 (±2.61) months. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that there was no statistical significance between mother’s age at delivery and birth weights or sleep development age of children. Also,the birth weight and sleep development age of children didn’t correlate with each other.A large number [50(83%)] of children developed the sleep pattern by 6 months of age, which was significant at a z-value of 7.303 at p-value of <0.00001.Discussion: The mean birth weight of boys was higher than the girls. The boys also developed the circadiansleep wake cycle slightly later than girls. However, no significant correlation was found between birth weights and sleep development ages of children. Majority of the infants developed the sleep rhythm in first 6 months of life whereas a small proportion developed it later till 12 months of age.Conclusion: The boys developed the circadian sleep wake cycle slightly later than the girls. However,maximumchildren developed the sleep pattern by 6 months.