Sleep habits in infants and preschoolers

Section: Originals

How to quote

Varela Folgueiras S, Moraleda Asensio S, Ortega Rodríguez E, de la Torre Chavarri I, Mora Gabas I. Hábitos de sueño en lactantes y preescolares. Metas Enferm sep 2017; 20(7): 12-18.

Authors

Sonia Varela Folgueiras1, Sandra Moraleda Asensio2, Eduardo Ortega Rodríguez3,Isabel de la Torre Chavarri4, Isabel Mora Gabas5

Position

1Enfermera. Centro de Atención Primaria Poblenou. Barcelona2Enfermera. Centro de Atención Primaria Montclar. Sant Boi de Llobregat (Barcelona)3Pediatra. Centro de Atención Primaria Lloreda. Badalona (Barcelona)4Enfermera. Centro de Atención Primaria ABS1. Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona)5Enfermera. Centro de Atención Primaria ABS4. Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona)

Contact address

Sonia Varela Folgueiras. EAP Poblenou. C/ Lope de Vega, 138. 08005 Barcelona.

Abstract

Objectives: to understand the sleep patterns in infants and preschoolers, to identify incorrect habits and childhood insomnia due to disorderly habits (CIDH), and to assess if the implementation of certain strategies leads to an improvement in childhood insomnia.
Methods: a longitudinal analytic study, conducted in the Paediatric Units of two Primary Care Centres, from April, 2006 to February, 2007. The study population consisted in 8-month to 3-year-old children. Parents were interviewed during their children’s follow-up visits, regarding their sleep habits, presence and characteristics of daytime sleep, place, time and manner of night sleep, existence of habitual nocturnal wakening, etc. If any sleep alterations were detected, an educational intervention was proposed, that they should apply in order to improve their children’s sleep alteration. A descriptive and analytic study was conducted.
Results: information was obtained about 315 children: 57.2% were boys and 42.8% girls. By ages, 22% were 8-month old, 22% were 12-month-old, 17% were 18-month old, 20% were 2-year-old and 19% were 3-year old. Of these, 84% went to bed before 10 p.m.; 56% initiated sleep in their room; 61% initiated sleep alone in their bed or cot. Among 3-year-old children, 10% slept in bed with their parents. An 84% of children took less that 30 minutes in falling sleep, and 4% over an hour; 44% presented habitual nocturnal wakening. Regarding parents, 85% considered that their child had no sleep problems, and 87% had never consulted for a sleep problem. In terms of sleep patterns, 48% had correct habits, 38% were incorrect, and 14% presented CIDH. There was an intervention in the sleep disorders of 164 children; at least 12% had solved them at one month, and 18% at 3 months.
Conclusions: over half of infants and preschoolers presented incorrect sleep habits. The prevalence of CIDH was relevant. The implementation of an educational intervention targeted to parents, which they should apply in order to improve their children’s sleep habits, led to solving the problem in a low proportion of cases.

Keywords:

Hábitos de sueño; lactantes; preescolares; insomnio

Versión en Español

Título:

Hábitos de sueño en lactantes y preescolares