Sleep disturbances in Swedish pre-school children and their parents

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Abstract
The sleeping behaviour of 378 children between 5 and 6 years of age was examined by means of questionnaires filled out by the parents. In 26.9% of the children at least one of the following sleep problems was reported: difficulties initiating sleep, night awakenings, or respiratory difficulties during sleep. The children with sleep problems had significantly more reports of other current sleep-wake difficulties and of sleep problems during earlier ages. The parents, 367 mothers and 273 fathers, also answered questions about their own sleep-wake complaints. Twenty-two percent of the mothers and 12% of the fathers reported increased sleeping difficulties after becoming a parent. In these mothers early morning awakenings, not feeling rested in the morning, and daytime sleepiness were most prominent. The corresponding group of fathers was characterized by difficulty initiating sleep, night awakenings, and not feeling rested in the morning. The mothers and fathers who reported sleep problems in their children had more reports of increased sleeping difficulties after becoming a parent. Thus, our results suggest that sleep problems in children are common, may have negative effects on the well being of the affected child, and sometimes cause severe sleep-wake complaints in the parents.

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