Abstract

CONVERTINI, Gladys  and  TRIPODI, M. Rosa. Hábitos de sueño en menores de 2 años. Arch. argent. pediatr. [online]. 2007, vol.105, n.2, pp.122-128. ISSN 0325-0075.

Sleep is a highly organized physiologic process in which some factors, like nervous system maturation, and adaptation of the child to the family group take part. Some factors are influencing on it's dynamic: cosleeping, night-time feeding and inappropriate sleep behaviors. Night waking and difficulty in falling asleep are frequent complaints of parents. Our aims were the following. Objectives. 1) Evaluate sleep habits of healthy children below 2 years old. 2) Relate night waking with environmental variables. Population. The sleep habits of 300 healthy children were evaluated. They were stratified in 4 groups. Methods. A questionnaire specially elaborated for this purpose was completed by the children's parents. The variables were analyzed by means of Epi Info 6. Results. 136 of the 300 children were males. G1: 86 (28.7%); G2: 69 (23%); G3: 73 (24.3%); G4: 72 (24%). Sleep position (only in G1) was: 18.6% prone; 51.2% supine and 30.2% flank. In 22% of the children there was a 30 minutes delay in falling asleep. Only 17.4% of G1, 20.3% of G2, 31.5% of G3 and 40.3% of G4 were able to sleep over night. The possibility of getting asleep alone was similar in the 4 groups, being smaller in breastfeeding children. Night-time feeding was 55.3%. Night wakefulness was related to falling asleep alone, night feeding and parental discomfort. Cohabitation was greater in G1 and co-sleeping in G4. Conclusions. The preceding data indicates that we must deepen our preventing activities in health care.

Keywords : Sleep habits; Children.

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