Abstract
The aims of the present research were to describe in more detail than previous investigations the occurrence and nature of sleep problems and behaviours in children with Down's syndrome compared with other learning disabled and non-learning disabled groups and to investigate the psychological associations of these sleep problemsThe research has been conducted in two distinct phases. In the first phase, the prevalence and range of sleep disorders was investigated in a group of children with Down's syndrome (n=19) using parental questionnaires, The findings were compared with a group of their non-learning disabled brothers and sisters (n=54), a group of children from the general population (n=78) and a group of children with other forms of learning disability of various aetiologies (n=71). Questionnaires were sent via schools in one county of the UK. Overall, children with Down's syndrome and children with other forms of learning disability showed a significantly greater number of sleep disorders than the siblings and children from the general population. However, different patterns of sleep disorders were seen in the two groups of children with learning disabilities. The findings indicated that the sleep problems of children with Down's syndrome were predominately physical in origin and were related to disordered breathing and possibly obstructive sleep apnoea. Various significant associations between sleep disorders and daytime behaviour problems, excessive daytime sleepiness and maternal stress were also found.
The second phase consisted of a series of studies in which some of the issues from the first phase were investigated. Overnight recordings were carried out on a group of local children (n=31) including video and audio recording, oximetry and activity monitoring during sleep. Information on the children's daytime behaviour was collected from parents and teachers and a Continuous Performance Task assessment was performed on the children the next day. Study 1 assessed the accuracy of parents' reports of the two main features used in the clinical assessment of sleep related breathing disorders, namely restlessness during sleep and snoring. Study 2 investigated associations between objective measures of restlessness, snoring and blood oxygen saturation during sleep. Study 3 investigated associations between these objective overnight measures and daytime psychological function to determine the psychological significance of the measures in children with Down's syndrome. The research carried out and the implications of the findings are discussed together with future research possibilities.
| Date of Award | 1996 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | John MacDonald (Supervisor), Sue Buckley (Supervisor) & Brian Fellows (Supervisor) |