Dimensions in pediatric sleep - Juulia Paavonen

Background

Infant sleep undergoes significant development during the first two years of life. Sleep rhythm, structure, and duration change continuously. As infants grow, sleep becomes increasingly consolidated, and by the age of two, sleep patterns differ substantially from those in early infancy.

Objective

Our aim has been to describe interindividual differences in sleep development in early childhood, explore underlying factors, and assess their significance for children’s psychosocial development.
Sample: The CHILD-SLEEP and FinnBrain cohorts are large birth cohorts from Finland that have collected longitudinal questionnaire-based data on infant sleep development from the age of three months up to 9–10 years.

Methods

Multivariate statistical models have been used to evaluate (1) the factors underlying infant sleeping difficulties and (2) how early sleeping problems are related to children’s psychosocial development.

Results

Risk and protective factors for childhood sleeping difficulties will be presented, as well as how sleeping difficulties in early childhood are associated with psychosocial symptoms later in life.
Conclusions: Infant sleeping problems are very common and are associated with later psychosocial development. It is therefore important to provide interventions when persistent sleeping problems occur in early childhood.