The Relationship Between Severity of Epilepsy and Sleep Disorder in Epileptic Children

Maryam Dehghani; Afshin Fayyazi; Fatemeh Cheraghi; Hamideh Hakimi; Somayeh Mosazadeh; Saeideh Almasi

The Relationship Between Severity of Epilepsy and Sleep Disorder in Epileptic Children

Iran J Child Neurol. 2019 Spring;13(2):77-88.

Authors

Maryam Dehghani¹, Afshin Fayyazi², Fatemeh Cheraghi³, Hamideh Hakimi⁴, Somayeh Mosazadeh⁵, Saeideh Almasi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics Nursing, School of Nahavand Paramedical, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
² Hearing Disorders Research Center, hamadan university of medical sciences, hamedan, Iran.
³ Chronic Diseases (Home Care) Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
⁴ Department of Nursing, Islamic Azad University of Lahijan, Lahijan, Iran.
⁵ Department of nursing student research committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
⁶ Department of Pediatric Nursing, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.

PMID: 31037081
PMCID: PMC6451861

Abstract

Objective: Sleep disturbances are one of the most common behavioral problems in childhood. Sleep problems have an even greater prevalence in children with epilepsy and are one of the most common comorbid conditions in childhood epilepsy.

Materials & methods: This descriptive-correlation study with the general goal of determining the effects of epilepsy on sleep habits of epileptic children was conducted in Hamadan, western Iran, in 2014. Sampling was done using convenience sampling techniques. Data were collected using the Early Childhood Epilepsy Severity Scale (E-Chess) and Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and analyzed using SPSS and descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The mean score of sleep habits was 55/08±6/71. Bedtime resistance (12/14±2/93), parasomnias (11/02±1/84) and sleep anxiety (8/29±2/46) were the most frequent sleep disorders in the studied sample. Based on Pearson's r, there were significant positive bidirectional relationships between bedtime resistance (r_s =0.129, P<0.019), parasomnias (r_s =0.298, P<0.005), sleep-disordered breathing (r_s =0.295, P<0.005), CSHQ total score (r_s =0.144, P<0.022) on the one hand, and children's epilepsy severity on the other.

Conclusion: Sleep problems should not be overlooked, and a comprehensive review of the sleep habits of this group of patients should be conducted.

Keywords: Children; Epilepsy; Sleep; Sleep disturbance.