Sylvia Doo MRCPCH|Yun Kwok Wing
Sleep problems of children with pervasive developmental disorders: correlation with parental stress
Department of Health|Chinese University of Hong Kong|Shatin Hospital
study aimed investigate prevalence sleep problems chinese children pervasive developmental disorders pdd hong kong relationship parental stress crosssectional survey conducted six child assessment centres parents children pdd completed childrens sleep habits questionnaire parenting stress index short form questions sleep practice total 210 250 questionnaires response rate 84 returned mean age children 3 years 6 months sd 1y 4mo range 2y7y 7mo 168 males 25 females prevalence parentdefined sleep problems various sleep domains ranged 93 456 679 children significant problems least one sleep domain common problems reported bedtime resistance parasomnias similar sleep problems occurred pdd subgroups factor significantly associated sleep problems occurrence sleep problems age 2 years parents children pdd sleep problems experienced higher level stress whose children sleep problems high prevalence significant sleep problems reported chinese children hong kong pdd higher stress level among parents children pdd sleep problems suggests need systematic early detection management sleep problems children pdd