Abstract:

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder that is frequently associated with sleep disorders. Despite this, causes of sleep disorders among children with CP and the association of sleep disorders with motor capacity and severity of disease have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we aimed to explore the association of sleep problems with factors including disease severity and motor capacity and the effects of sleep impairment on quality of life of children with CP. For this study, we enrolled 76 children with SP with an age range of 4-14 years. For all patients, the Gross Motor Function Scale (GMFS)-88 was used to evaluate functional motor capacity, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) to assess the quality of life and the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) to assess sleep problems. Classification of gross motor functions of the patients was performed using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFSC). GMFSC Level 1 and 2 patients were considered as mild, Level 3 patients as moderate and Level 4 and 5 patients as having severe CP. PSQ scores were found to be lower in the mild CP group compared with those in moderate and severe CP groups (p=0.005 and p=0.000, respectively). PSQ scores were negatively correlated with PedsQL and GMFS scores (for all p<0.001). Given the substantial loss of quality of life caused by sleep disorders, sleep problems should be taken into account when establishing treatment strategies for children with CP, particularly for those with severe motor disabilities.

Keywords: