The Impact of Pediatric Chronic Illness on Caregiver Sleep and Daytime Functioning

Abstract

While sleep disruptions are common for parents of typically developing children, caring for a child with a chronic illness often goes above and beyond typical parenting. This chapter reviews the impact of pediatric chronic illness on caregiver sleep and daytime functioning, including the prevalence, potential causes, and consequences of caregiver sleep disruption. Detailed knowledge of potential causes and consequences of sleep disruption in parental caregivers is limited. Possible sources of parent sleep disruption include nighttime medical caregiving, frequent monitoring of illness symptoms or required technology, child sleep disruptions, and emotional stress. In turn, sleep disruptions may impact caregiving as well as parental psychological distress, health, cognitive daytime functioning, interpersonal relationships, and quality of life. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed that address the limitations of the existing literature, focusing on relationships among child and caregiver sleep disturbance, child disease-related symptoms, and consequences for caregiver daytime functioning.