Pediatric Occupational Therapists' Perspectives on Sleep: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

IMPORTANCE

Insufficient sleep is common among children seeking occupational therapy services but is rarely a focus of therapy despite sleep's critical impact on health.

OBJECTIVE

To examine pediatric occupational therapists' experiences, views, and confidence in addressing sleep concerns in their practice as well as barriers to and supports for doing so.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study with thematic analysis of data from 1-hr virtual interviews. Rapport building, multiple-coder analysis, and member checking were used to ensure reliability and validity.

SETTING

Interviews were conducted remotely at each participant's preferred time and location.

PARTICIPANTS

Pediatric occupational therapists (N = 20) practicing across multiple settings in the United States were recruited through emails directed to their place of work and social media posts. A goal of 20 participants was set a priori with the goal of thematic saturation.

OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

A semistructured interview guide.

RESULTS

Participants were predominately cisgender (95%), female (85%), and White, non-Hispanic (90%). Overall, they voiced the importance of sleep but reported almost never writing sleep-related goals. Reported barriers that affected the participants' ability to fully address sleep in practice included therapists' lack of confidence and knowledge and low caregiver buy-in.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The findings identify themes on the basis of which actionable steps toward promoting occupational therapists as sleep champions can be developed. Future implications include increasing sleep education opportunities, enhancing awareness of sleep health's impact on goal areas, and facilitating discussions about occupational therapy's role within the medical system and family system in supporting sleep. Plain-Language Summary: This qualitative study identifies what helps and hinders occupational therapists in addressing the sleep health concerns of their clients. We give occupational therapy clinicians and educators key supports to seek out or barriers to address.

Correlates of Impairment and Growth in Families of Young Autistic Children

The purpose of this project was to investigate potential correlates of family life impairment in families of young autistic children. This project incorporated measures of specific child and parent challenges in addition to a commonly used unidimensional measure of autism characteristics. In this way, we could assess whether such challenges explain variance in family life impairment, and whether their inclusion diminish associations between autism characteristics and family life impairment. Cross-sectional data were collected from 564 parents of autistic children aged 2 to 5 years who participated in a larger online study. Participants completed measures on child characteristics (autism characteristics, emotion dysregulation, speaking ability, flexibility, and sleep problems), parent depression, and family life impairment, using the Family Life Impairment Scale (FLIS). Multiple linear regression models were generated to examine whether any of the independent variables were associated with the four domains of the FLIS. Models controlled for child age and sex, parent education, and single-parent homes. All independent variables were associated with impairment in one or more FLIS domains. None of the primary independent variables were significantly associated with positive growth. More overt characteristics and behaviors (e.g., autism characteristics, reactivity, speaking ability, and flexibility) were associated with impairment in domains that reflected a family's ability to navigate the community. However, sleep challenges and parent and child emotional difficulties were most strongly associated with parent impairment. Findings suggests that families may have different needs across contexts and provide new avenues through which they might be better supported.

Characterizing rest-activity rhythms and sleep for children with and without tactile sensitivities: An observational study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

This cross-sectional, observational study aimed to characterize and compare movement-based rest-activity rhythms (RARs) and sleep period variables of children with tactile hypersensitivities (SS) and non-sensitive peers (NSS) to expand the understanding of experienced differences in sleep.

METHODS

Children (ages 6-10) wore Actigraph GT9X watches for 2 weeks and caregivers completed daily sleep diaries. RARs and sleep period variables (e.g., sleep efficiency, duration, wake after sleep onset) were analyzed and localized means were plotted to visualize average rhythms for each group. Groups were compared using Student's t tests, or non-parametric alternatives, and Hedge's g effect sizes.

RESULTS

Fifty-three children and their families participated in this study (nSS = 21 nNSS = 32). The groups had similar RARs and sleep period variables. In both groups, sleep efficiency was low (SESS = 78%, SENSS = 77%) and total sleep time was short (TSTSS = 7 hrs 26 mins, TSTNSS- 7 h, 33 min) compared to national recommendations. Despite these similarities, children with SS took noticeably longer to settle down and fall asleep (53 min) than children with NSS (26 min, p = .075, g = 0.95).

CONCLUSION

This study provides preliminary data describing RAR and sleep period variables in children with and without tactile hypersensitivities. While overall RAR and sleep variables were similar between groups, there is evidence that children with SS spend a longer time transitioning to sleep. Evidence is provided that wrist-worn actigraphy is tolerable and acceptable for children with tactile sensitivities. Actigraphy provides important, movement-based data that should be used in tandem with other measures of sleep health for future studies.

Characterizing Sleep Differences in Children With and Without Sensory Sensitivities

Objectives

Individuals register and react to daily sensory stimuli differently, which influences participation in occupations. Sleep is a foundational nightly occupation that impacts overall health and development in children. Emerging research suggests that certain sensory processing patterns, specifically sensory sensitivities, may have a negative impact on sleep health in children. In this study, we aimed to (i) characterize sleep in children with and without sensory sensitivities and (ii) examine the relationship between sensory processing patterns (using the Sensory Profile-2) and sleep using validated parent- and child-reported questionnaires. We hypothesized that children with sensory sensitivities will exhibit more difficulties with sleep.

Methods

We recruited 22 children (ages 6-10) with sensory sensitivities (SS) and 33 children without sensory sensitivities (NSS) to complete validated sleep and sensory processing questionnaires: the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), Sleep Self-Report (SSR), and Sensory Profile-2.

Results

Children with SS had significantly more sleep behaviors reported by both parents (p < 0.001, g = 1.11) and children (p < 0.001, g = 1.17) compared to children with NSS. Specifically, children with SS had higher frequencies of sleep anxiety (p = 0.004, g = 0.79), bedtime resistance (p = 0.001, g = 0.83), and sleep onset delay (p = 0.003, g = 0.95). Spearman's ρ correlations indicated significant positive correlations between parent- and child-reported sleep. Children with SS showed a larger association and greater variability between sleep and sensory processing compared to their peers. Significant positive correlations between parent-reported sleep behaviors and sensory sensitive and avoiding patterns were identified for both children with SS and NSS. Child-reported sleep behaviors were most strongly associated with sensitive and avoiding patterns for children with NSS and seeking patterns for children with SS.

Conclusion

We present evidence that sleep is impacted for children with SS to a greater extent than children with NSS. We also identified that a child's sensory processing pattern may be an important contributor to sleep problems in children with and without sensory sensitivities. Sleep concerns should be addressed within routine care for children with sensory sensitivities. Future studies will inform specific sleep intervention targets most salient for children with SS and other sensory processing patterns.

Comparing contributors of parental sleep health in families with and without a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

BACKGROUND

The sleep health of caregivers of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is often overlooked in clinical practice and research. This study characterizes the sleep health of caregivers of children with DMD (4-17 years) compared to parents of age-matched, unaffected children. We explore potential contributors to parental sleep efficiency and hypothesize that child awakenings will have a considerable influence on parental sleep efficiency.

METHODS

In this observational study, parents and their children were asked to wear the ActiGraph GT9X Link at night for 1 month. From these data, actigraphy variables (eg, percent sleep efficiency, nocturnal awakenings) were calculated and averaged for parents and children. We also used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to measure subjective sleep quality.

MAIN FINDINGS

Parents in the DMD group (n = 25, M = 84.5%) had significantly worse sleep efficiency compared to controls (n = 15, M = 87.8%, p = .048). This difference was sustained after controlling for parent age, child age, and average child awakenings (F(4, 23) = 2.68, p= .057, R² = .32). Additionally, more parents in the DMD group scored as "poor sleepers" on the PSQI (above 5, 50%) compared to controls (23%), suggesting a strong, yet not statistically significant association between subjective poor sleep and group (χ²(1) = 2.47, p = .116, OR = 3.33).

CONCLUSION

Parents of children with DMD exhibit both objective and subjective differences suggesting their sleep is impaired. Interestingly, these sleep concerns are not significantly explained by child awakenings as hypothesized. Future research is needed to fully understand the prevalence and cause of poor sleep in a larger group of DMD caregivers as well as direct care for caregivers of children with disabilities.

0980 Sleep And Activity Rhythms In Children With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Introduction

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare, progressive, neurological disorder with high rates of depression, anxiety, and attention issues. Rest-activity rhythm (RAR) disturbances are also associated with these co-morbidities in other populations. However, RAR patterns and timing have not been explored in DMD and could provide important information regarding mechanisms of sleep in which to intervene. To address this knowledge gap, we used wrist actigraphy to explore the timing of rest-activity rhythms in boys with and without DMD.

Methods

Boys aged 4-15 with DMD (n= 17) and age matched controls (n=17) wore an ActiGraph GT9X for ten consecutive days. We averaged activity counts each hour and computed Cohen’s d effect sizes and t-tests with Benjamini-Hochberg corrections. Extended cosine models were fit to derive RAR measures using custom R code.

Results

An overall delay in RAR timing was found in the DMD group due to three specific, large effect-size differences in RAR patterns. Boys with DMD were: (1) less active at 8AM and 9AM (e.g., at 9AM: d=-0.82, p=0.02, FDR=0.14); (2) more active from 10PM-midnight (e.g., at 11PM: d=1.1, p=0.003, FDR=0.07) and (3) more active at 4AM (d=0.74, p=0.04, FDR=0.14). Extended-cosine modeling showed that, while amplitude of activity was similar across groups (d=-0.29, p= 0.41), boys with DMD had later morning activity onset (d= 0.70, p= 0.05), later peak activity timing (d= 0.86, p= 0.02), and later evening activity offset (d= 0.96, p= 0.01).

Conclusion

A significant delay in activity was evident in the DMD group compared with controls. Although the mechanism causing this shift is currently unknown, delayed chronotypes have been linked to poor health outcomes like depression and anxiety in other populations. Further research should explore the causes and consequences of the RAR timing delays we observed and inform future care.

Support

Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne, PI: Bendixen, 1/1/2017-12/31/2019.

Uncovering sleep in young males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

OBJECTIVES

Sleep health in rare disease is often overlooked due to the complex nature of the disease. For males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sleep assessment is typically focused on pulmonary function and identification of sleep disordered breathing. Unfortunately for young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sleep assessment is often neglected, resulting in a dearth of knowledge on sleep health in this population. This study describes sleep quantity and quality in both younger (4-9 years) and older (10-17 years) males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (n = 19) and compares these characteristics with sleep characteristics of unaffected peers (n = 17).

METHODS

This study was a longitudinal, observational study. Sleep measures were collected using the parent-proxy Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Abbreviated version and objective sleep measures from actigraphy (sleep efficiency, awakenings, and awakening duration) over 30 days for all participants. Means and standard deviations were examined, and effect sizes were computed to quantify the magnitude of difference between the Duchenne muscular dystrophy and unaffected groups.

RESULTS

Overall, boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy were found to experience worse sleep than their unaffected peers as measured by parent report and actigraphy. Effect sizes of both measures demonstrated moderate to large magnitudes of difference in many of the sleep variables. Parents of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy reported higher scores (indicating worse sleep) in all subsections and total score of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire - Abbreviated version. Actigraphy data indicated that the Duchenne muscular dystrophy group had lower percent sleep efficiency, more night awakenings and longer duration of night awakenings than their unaffected peers.

CONCLUSION

Our findings offer a novel look into sleep in young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Both parent-report and actigraphy data indicate poor sleep health in this population compared with age-matched unaffected peers. Actigraphy was found to align with parent-report of sleep in this population, supporting the use of these two different ways to measure sleep in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Results from this study should encourage clinicians and researchers alike to further explore sleep and its impact on disease in young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.