Influence of sleep-onset time on the development of 18-month-old infants: Japan Children's cohort study

Relationship between physical activity and sleep habits with motor proficiency among school aged children in Iran

Despite the importance of basic motor skills in preschool and elementary school children for developing specialized skills in adulthood, the factors influencing motor proficiency have not yet been fully identified, and there are contradictory findings regarding the influencing factors. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between physical activity and sleep habits with motor proficiency among school aged children in Iran. In this descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study, 403 school-aged children living in Bushehr were selected using cluster random sampling method. Data collection tools included demographic form, physical activity questionnaire for older children, children's sleep habits questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and short-form Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency. The data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0, descriptive statistics and analytical tests (simple and multiple univariate regression). The significance level was considered less than 0.05 in all cases. The mean age of the children participating in the study was 9.65 ± 1.72 years. Approximately half of the children (46.5%) were classified as overweight and obese. The simple regression analysis showed a significant statistical correlation between motor proficiency and child's age, parent's age, number of siblings, BMI and physical activity (P < 0.05). The multiple regression analysis results indicated a significant correlation between motor proficiency and child's age (β = 0.462, P < 0.001), gender (β = 0.145, P = 0.001) and BMI (β = - 0.157, P < 0.001). Children with a higher BMI, younger age and female gender exhibited a lower level of motor proficiency. The obtained findings are of particular importance for raising awareness of school officials and health policymakers about various aspects of health such as growth and motor development, and developing necessary strategies to enhance girls' motor development and prevent obesity.

Giant axonal neuropathy: a rare inherited neuropathy with a novel mutation

We present a 7.5-year-old boy born to a family from the Iranian Azeri Turkish ethnic group with a consanguineous marriage who presents with a unique set of symptoms, suggesting Giant Axonal Neuropathy. He achieved independent walking at age 3 years, with frequent falling during running. Physical and neurological examinations reveal curly blond hair, generalized muscle atrophy, slow speech and difficulty swallowing solid food, foot drop, pes cavus, hammertoe deformities; reduced deep tendon reflexes, clumsy gait, impaired sense of position, and intention tremors.This comprehensive report significantly expands the clinical and mutational spectrum of Giant Axonal Neuropathy. Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) analysis revealed a novel homozygous variant (NC_000016.10(NM_022041.3):c.2T > C) in the GAN gene, confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Segregation analysis showed that the parents were heterozygous for the variant. The variant was absent in a cohort of 430 healthy individuals from the same ethnic group and in other published population databases such as GenomAD and the 1000 Genome. The clinical manifestations, segregation analysis, population study, and bioinformatics analysis collectively confirm the pathogenicity of variant.

The Architecture of Early Childhood Sleep Over the First Two Years

INTRODUCTION

The architecture and function of sleep during infancy and early childhood has not been fully described in the scientific literature. The impact of early sleep disruption on cognitive and physical development is also under-studied. The aim of this review was to investigate early childhood sleep development over the first two years and its association with neurodevelopment.

METHODS

This review was conducted according to the 2009 PRISMA guidelines. Four databases (OVID Medline, Pubmed, CINAHL, and Web of Science) were searched according to predefined search terms.

RESULTS

Ninety-three studies with approximately 90,000 subjects from demographically diverse backgrounds were included in this review. Sleep is the predominant state at birth. There is an increase in NREM and a decrease in REM sleep during the first two years. Changes in sleep architecture occur in tandem with development. There are more studies exploring sleep and early infancy compared to mid and late infancy and early childhood.

DISCUSSION

Sleep is critical for memory, learning, and socio-emotional development. Future longitudinal studies in infants and young children should focus on sleep architecture at each month of life to establish the emergence of key characteristics, especially from 7-24 months of age, during periods of rapid neurodevelopmental progress.

Asia-Pacific consensus statement on integrated 24-hour activity guidelines for the early years

Background

Early childhood is a vital period for development and growth. Promoting beneficial lifestyle behaviours in early childhood can help optimise children's health, development and learning, shape their behaviours in adulthood and offer the best protection against future non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In the Asia-Pacific region, NCDs are significant causes of healthcare burden and mortality. Furthermore, there is also a high prevalence of adverse metabolic risk factors and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours among these children.

Method

Representatives from 19 Asia-Pacific nations and/or jurisdictions developed a consensus statement on integrated 24-hour activity guidelines for the early years using the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT framework.

Findings

These guidelines apply to all infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers below 5 years of age. The guidelines aim to provide a holistic and practical approach to lifestyle activities by framing physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep within a 24-hour period. Dietary patterns were included as they play an integral role in metabolic health and energy balance.

Interpretation

Aligned with the World Health Organization's Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs through health promotion interventions in early life, through cultivating healthy lifestyle behaviours in the children's early years, we aim to provide children with the best start in life and reduce the burden of future NCDs in the Asia-Pacific region.

Funding

Funded by Integrated platform for research in advancing metabolic health outcomes of women and children.

Sleep Quality Among Adolescents and Its Relation to Inhalant, Khat, and Internet Use, and Physical Illness: A Community-Based Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study

Sleep-related health problems are under investigated among adolescents in low-income countries, including our country, Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the sleep quality and its associated factors among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 799 adolescents from May 27 to July 27, 2021, using a systematic random sampling technique. Sleep quality was assessed by using the Petersburg sleep quality index. The data was entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 21. A logistic regression model was used, and variables with a P-value less than .05 in the final fitting model were stated as independent predictors of poor sleep quality (PSQ). About 1 in 3 adolescents (38%) had a poor sleep quality. The rates of inhalant, khat, and internet use disorders were 16%, 38%, and 18%, respectively. Also, 27.4% of adolescents used alcohol as a sleep medication, and 75% of adolescents with internet addiction had PSQ. Moreover, adolescents with physical illness had about 4 times higher odds of association with PSQ (AOR = 3.76 and 95% CI = 2.30-6.15%CI), and inhalant use disorder (AOR = 1.98 and 95% CI = 1.29-3.04%CI), internet addiction (AOR = 3.33 and 95% CI = 2.09-5.30%CI), and khat use disorder (AOR = 1.74 and 95% CI = 1.11-2.73%CI), were positively associated with PSQ. PSQ was higher among adolescents, and problematic inhalants, khat, and internet use and physical illness were risk factors for PSQ.

Correlates of Sleep Duration in Early Childhood: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aimed to summarize correlates of sleep duration in children under 5 years of age.

METHODS

Six electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus) were searched from inception to May 2019. Observational studies and intervention studies reporting cross-sectional results from baseline data were considered. Data were extracted using a predesigned form and potential correlates were categorized following a sociological framework.

RESULTS

One-hundred and sixteen studies, representing 329,166 children, met the inclusion criteria, with a high risk of bias in 62 included studies. A total of 83 correlates of sleep duration were identified. Among the associations studied four or more times, correlates of nap duration were child's age and nighttime sleep onset/bedtime; correlates of nighttime sleep duration were household income, parent marital status, parental adiposity level, nighttime sleep duration at younger age, nighttime sleep onset/bedtime, nighttime sleep wakeup time, and frequency of current bedtime routine; correlate of total sleep duration was screen time.

CONCLUSIONS

Young children from low-income households, single families, or having overweight parents may be at risk for short sleep duration. Promoting healthy sleep duration from an early age appears essential. Effective practices may include encouraging an earlier bedtime, limiting screen time, and establishing a regular bedtime routine. The absence of consistent evidence in the psychological, cognitive, and emotional domain as well as the physical environmental domain warrants further research.

Sleep Quality of Students from Elementary School to University: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Sleep affects a wide array of health outcomes and is associated with the quality of life. Among students, sleep quality is affected by school stage and grade; however, data regarding the different sleep-related problems students experience at different school stages are limited. In this study, we aimed to explore sleep quality among a student sample ranging from elementary school to university level.

METHODS

Overall, data were examined for 9392 subjects aged 9-22 years. Information on sociodemographic characteristics and other variables were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Sleep quality on school nights was evaluated using the standard Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; global score >5 was classified as poor sleep quality. For the high school sample, logistic regression analysis was used to estimate associations between sleep quality and certain factors.

RESULTS

Of the elementary school, middle school, vocational high school, senior high school, and university students, 7.5%, 19.2%, 28.6%, 41.9%, and 28.5%, respectively, showed poor sleep quality. The high school students reported the highest prevalence of shorter sleep duration (70.8%), day dysfunction (84.7%), and subjective poor sleep quality (17.2%). The elementary school students showed the highest prevalence of poor sleep efficiency (17.9%). The university students showed the highest prevalence of sleep medication use (6.4%). The vocational high school students reported the highest prevalence of sleep latency (6.3%) and sleep disturbance (7.4%). Logistic regression modeling indicated that sleep quality is positively associated with school stage, grade, family atmosphere, academic pressure, and number of friends.

CONCLUSION

Sleep quality and sleep features change greatly from elementary school to university. Interventions to improve sleep quality should consider targeting the specific issues students experience at each school stage. Alarmed by the high prevalence of poor sleep quality among high school students, it is recommended that high school students should be informed of their sleep matter and the consequences.

Factors associated with sleep duration among pupils

BACKGROUND

Sleep shortage has been pervasive among pupils.

METHODS

Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze 2,722 questionnaires obtained from grade 5 to 12 pupils, to determine factors associated with sleep duration.

RESULTS

Significant regression formulae for sleep duration were obtained for all school types: adjusted R² / P value were 0.14/<0.001 for elementary school; 0.11/<0.001 for junior high school; 0.06/<0.001 for high school. Longer after-school activities (standardized regression coefficient/ P value were -0.22/<0.001 for elementary school; -0.10/<0.01 for junior high school; -0.18/<0.001 for high school) and more sleepiness (-0.09/<0.001 for elementary school; -0.07/<0.05 for junior high school; -0.07/<0.05 for high school) were significantly associated with reduced sleep duration for all school types. In both elementary and junior high schools, the higher grade (-0.53/<0.001 for elementary school; -0.10/<0.01 for junior high school), and longer weekday screen time (-0.15/<0.001 for elementary school; -0.19/<0.001 for junior high school) were also significantly associated with sleep loss. In elementary school, irregular dinner (-0.07/<0.05), breakfast skipping (-0.11/<0.001), longer weekend screen time (-0.09/<0.05) and better self-reported academic performance (0.07/<0.05) also revealed significant associations with sleep loss. In high school, reduction of sleep duration was also significantly associated with higher standardized body mass index (-0.08/<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Excessive after-school activity might be considered in association with pupils' sleep reduction.

Effects of journal therapy counseling with anxious pregnant women on their infants' sleep quality: a randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Sleep is especially important for infants, since it stimulates the development of neural connections in their brains. Psychological stress such as anxiety could affect sleep quality. This study investigated the effects of journal therapy counseling sessions on the infants' sleep quality based on mothers' perception (primary outcome), maternal anxiety, infants' anthropometric and developmental parameters, and the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding (secondary outcomes).

METHODS

A total of 70 healthy women with gestational age of 28-31 weeks participated in this randomized controlled trial. The participants were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups using randomized block design. Three in-person journal therapy sessions and three telephone counseling sessions (2 between in-person sessions and 1 one month postpartum) were provided to those in the intervention group, while the control group only received routine care. The Infant Sleep Questionnaire (ISQ), Exclusive Breastfeeding Checklist, and Infant Anthropometric Parameters Checklist were completed at two and four months postpartum. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was completed during pregnancy, at the end of the intervention, and at two and four months postpartum, and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) was completed at 4 months postpartum. Data were analyzed using chi-square, independent t-test, ANCOVA and repeated measure ANOVA.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the two groups in demographic characteristics and baseline anxiety scores. The mean sleep quality score in infants two months of age (MD: -4.2; 95%CI: - 1.1 to - 7.2; P = 0.007) and four months of age (MD: -5.5; 95%CI: - 8.4 to - 2.7; P < 0.001) was significantly lower in the intervention group than that of those in the control group. Based on the repeated measure ANOVA results, the mean postpartum anxiety score of mothers in the intervention group was significantly lower than that of those in the control group (AMD: -7.7; 95%CI: - 5.5 to - 10.1; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding other outcomes including the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding, and anthropometric and developmental parameters (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Journal therapy can decrease mothers' anxiety and improve the infants' sleep quality based on their perception. However, further studies are required before drawing any definitive conclusion.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IRCT20120718010324N45. Date of registration: August 11, 2018. URL: https://en.irct.ir/trial/33211.

Comparison of Sleep Characteristics, Patterns, and Problems in Young Children Within the Southeast Asian Region

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Optimal sleeping habits are important for health development of infants. The role of culture in sleep habits cannot be underestimated. We aimed to characterize sleep patterns, sleep practices, and sleep problems; and assess the sleep settings and parental perceptions of sleep problems in children from birth to 36 months in countries in the Southeast Asian (SEA) region.

PARTICIPANTS

Parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers (birth to 36 months old) from countries in Southeast Asia participated in this study.

METHODS

Data was collected using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire for a total of 5,987 children from 6 countries in the SEA region (967 Indonesia/ID, 997 Malaysia/MY, 1,034 Philippines/PH, 1,001 Singapore/SG, 988 Thailand/TH, and 1,000 Vietnam/VN).

RESULTS

The sleep variables varied among SEA children studied. Bedtimes and nighttime sleep varied across the region by as much as 1 hr 34 min and 1 hr 15 min respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite being geographically very close together and having some common sociocultural characteristics, sleep variables in the young child within the SEA region do differ in significant ways.

Insufficient sleep syndrome: An unrecognized but important clinical entity

BACKGROUND

A sleep clinic for adults and children was established in the Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Centre, in August 2012. Given that few sleep clinics are available in Japan specifically for children, this clinic provides the opportunity to provide data on child patients with sleep problems.

METHODS

Records of patients who visited the sleep clinic at the Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Centre aged ≤20 years at the first visit were retrospectively examined, along with the initial and final diagnoses.

RESULTS

Of 2,157 patients who visited the sleep clinic at Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Centre between August 2012 and March 2017, 181 were ≤20 years old. In these 181 patients, the most frequent final diagnosis was insufficient sleep syndrome (ISS), n = 56, followed by circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder, n = 28; insomnia, n = 28; and sleep-related movement disorder, n = 15.

CONCLUSIONS

Insufficient sleep produces various brain dysfunctions in both adults and children, and is associated with behavioral, cognitive and physical problems, as well as with atypical early development. Insufficient sleep has also been reported to cause obesity. Insufficient sleep-induced obesity is often associated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome. More effort is needed to ensure that children are receiving sufficient sleep.

Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on the Recommended Amount of Sleep for Healthy Children: Methodology and Discussion

ABSTRACT

Members of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine developed consensus recommendations for the amount of sleep needed to promote optimal health in children and adolescents using a modified RAND Appropriateness Method. After review of 864 published articles, the following sleep durations are recommended: Infants 4 months to 12 months should sleep 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Children 1 to 2 years of age should sleep 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Children 3 to 5 years of age should sleep 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Teenagers 13 to 18 years of age should sleep 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Sleeping the number of recommended hours on a regular basis is associated with better health outcomes including: improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health. Regularly sleeping fewer than the number of recommended hours is associated with attention, behavior, and learning problems. Insufficient sleep also increases the risk of accidents, injuries, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and depression. Insufficient sleep in teenagers is associated with increased risk of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts.

COMMENTARY

A commentary on this article apears in this issue on page 1439.

Good daily habits during the early stages of life determine success throughout life

This paper assesses hypothesis that sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during the early stages of life are indispensable to a successful life. Successful life was defined according to the famous cohort studies of Mischel's and Dunedin. To assess the hypothesis, neuronal elements presumably affecting early daily habits and successful life are reviewed. The effect of sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during early stages of life on the development of the prefrontal cortex has been found to be the key issue to verify the hypothesis. Socioeconomic status is found to be another issue to be studied.

Neural Basis of Brain Dysfunction Produced by Early Sleep Problems

There is a wealth of evidence that disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms, which are common in modern society even during the early stages of life, have unfavorable effects on brain function. Altered brain function can cause problem behaviors later in life, such as truancy from or dropping out of school, quitting employment, and committing suicide. In this review, we discuss findings from several large cohort studies together with recent results of a cohort study using the marshmallow test, which was first introduced in the 1960s. This test assessed the ability of four-year-olds to delay gratification and showed how this ability correlated with success later in life. The role of the serotonergic system in sleep and how this role changes with age are also discussed. The serotonergic system is involved in reward processing and interactions with the dorsal striatum, ventral striatum, and the prefrontal cortex are thought to comprise the neural basis for behavioral patterns that are affected by the quantity, quality, and timing of sleep early in life.