CK Chow, SN Wong, LCK Ma, GPG Fung, WL Yam, HB Chan

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence and identify the risk factors of different sleep disorders, in a local sample of children with profound intellectual disability. Methods: The study was conducted in students with profound intellectual disabilities in a special school. Each student was evaluated by the Chinese version of Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire by their parents. Other medical information was collected and analysed with the score of the questionnaire. Results: Data from 67 participants were included in the analysis. 84% of the subjects were considered as having sleep disorders. Children with epilepsy had a significantly higher total sleep score compared to children without epilepsy (49.66±7.53 vs 45.27±6.87, p=0.02). Non-boarding students and those with medical problems also had significantly higher scores. Logistic regression analysis showed that epilepsy was significantly associated with sleep disorder (adjusted odd ratio 7.99, p=0.02). Epilepsy was associated with higher sub-scores for bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay and sleep-disordered breathing. Obesity was associated with higher sub-score for sleep-disordered breathing. Conclusions: Sleep disorders were common among children with profound intellectual disabilities, and epilepsy was significantly associated with sleep disorder in this group of children. Correct identification of the sleep disorders, followed by provision of different sleep interventions are recommended.

目的：通過對當地嚴重智力障礙兒童的抽樣調查，評估不同睡眠障礙的患病率並確定其危險因素。方法：這項研究調查了一所特殊學校裏有嚴重智力障礙的學生。每位學生都由其父母通過中文版的兒童睡眠習慣問卷進行評估。通過問卷評分，收集其他醫療資訊並進行分析。結果：對67名參與者的數據進行了分析。研究顯示84%兒童有睡眠障礙。癲癇患兒的總睡眠分數明顯高於非癲癇患兒（49.66±7.53 vs 45.27±6.87, p=0.02）。非寄宿學生和存在醫療問題的學生的分數也顯著較高。Logistic回歸分析顯示，癲癇與睡眠障礙顯著相關（adjusted odd ratio 7.99, p=0.02）。癲癇與睡眠時間抵制評分較高、入睡延遲和睡眠呼吸障礙有關。肥胖與睡眠呼吸障礙分數較高相關。結論：睡眠障礙在嚴重智力障礙的兒童中很常見，其中，癲癇與睡眠障礙顯著相關。建議正確識別睡眠障礙，然後提供改善睡眠的不同方法。