Good Night, Sleep Right — In a new publication in the journal Pediatrics, Dr. Karen Bonuck discusses her finding that children with disrupted sleep patterns through five years of age were more likely to have special education needs (SEN) at eight years old. Dr. Bonuck found that a prior history of sleep disordered breathing (SDB), coupled with behavioral sleep problems, were risk factors for SEN. This extends her previous work, also published in Pediatrics earlier in 2012, which found children with SDB - which includes snoring, apnea, and open-mouth breathing - were more likely to have behavioral difficulties. These reports contribute to the growing knowledge of the serious effects that sleep disorders can have on cognitive and emotional functions in children. Dr. Bonuck is professor of family and social medicine and of obstetrics & gynecology and women’s health.
Posted on: Tuesday, September 04, 2012