Prevalence of sleep disorders among children in elementary schools in Kirkuk city

Abstract EN

Aim : the purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence rates of several symptoms of sleep disorders in young children, and the relationship between symptoms of pediatric sleep disorders and other childhood problems.

Methodology : A descriptive study design , subjects consist of (600) pupils divided in to 336 male and 264 female, aged 6 to 12 years, The data were collected from 20 Kirkuk elementary schools during a period of five months extending from December, 1st, 2011 to May, 1st, 2012.

Were selected through parent report and academic assessment.

Reliability and validity of questionnaire were determined by performance of a pilot study.

Data were analyzed through the application of descriptive statistics (Frequency, percentage and mean) and inferential statistic analysis (correlation coefficient and chi-Square test).

Children who rated as high risk for having sleep disorder displayed more externalizing and internalizing problems, less developed academic skills, and lower scores on a measure of academic skills, as compared to children whose sleep was rated within the normal range.

Results : it was found that 25 % of children were at high risk for having at least one type of sleep disorder.

Conclusions : high rates of sleep disorder symptoms were observed across all disorder categories, particularly in Excessive daytime sleepiness and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

This indicates that the symptoms of sleep disorders are already apparent even at sample (6–12) years old.

Recommendation : early identification and intervention were crucial in order to assist children suffering from sleep disorders.

Future research should focus on using larger samples in order to gain a more accurate picture of prevalence rates in this population.

In addition, larger samples would more precisely determine the differences that exist between the 3 categories of risk for a sleep disorder : normal risk, moderate risk, and high risk.