Over 47% Delhi kids have sleep disorders

A recent study from published in Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine found that several school going students in the Capital snore while sleeping, had high prevalence of sleep disordered breathing, reports Jaya Shroff Bhalla.

More than 47 per cent of schoolchildren in Delhi suffer from some form of sleep disorder.

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A recent study from published in Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine found that several school going students in the Capital snore while sleeping, had high prevalence of sleep disordered breathing or were seen to be suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness.

A questionnaire-based survey was performed by the sleep specialists in Safdarjung Hospital to determine prevalence of sleep related disorders in schoolchildren. “We based the study on Paediatric Sleep Questionnaire from the University of Michigan. The study revealed some unusual sleep related problems in children, which most of us are unaware of,” said Dr J.C. Suri, senior chest physician and head, department of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital.

The other researchers in the study were Dr M.K. Sen and Dr Tulsi Adhikari from the National Institute of Medical Statistics in New Delhi. Of the 4,000 questionnaires distributed, only 2,475 were selected for the study as they met required criteria.

The study showed that the prevalence of snoring was found to be 12. 7 per cent, sleep disordered problems figured at 4.8 per cent and almost 24.3 per cent children suffered from excessive daytime sleepiness. The overall prevalence of bedtime resistance was found to be 25.8 per cent; about 41 per cent had nightmares once in a while.

“On the whole 47.5 per cent students were observed to suffer from some form of sleep disorder. The big problem is that most parents are not even aware that sleep disorder is a big problem area and can disrupt a child’s growth in so many ways,” said Dr Suri.