Özet:

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the sleep quality of children aged 6-18 years who stayed at home for an extended period during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The research was conducted in Turkey as a descriptive study with the participation of 412 mothers with children aged 6-18 years who agreed to participate. The data were collected on the internet through a questionnaire developed by the researchers using the “Google Docs” program. Results: Of the children in the study, 51.7% were girls and their mean age was 9.86±3.21 years. Of the children, 61.7% stated that they were afraid of having COVID-19. In the study, it was determined that 63 children (17.5%) who did not have sleep problems before started to have sleep problems during this period. It was found that the rate of sleep problems in children who expressed fear and concern about the COVID-19 pandemic was higher than in children who did not have such concerns (χ2=15.874; p<0.001). When the change in sleep problems experienced by children during the COVID-19 pandemic was compared with the pre-pandemic period, it was found that there was a statistically significant increase in the rates of difficulty in falling asleep (p<0.001), waking up frequently at night (p=0.002), not being able to wake up in the morning (p<0.001), not wanting to sleep alone (p=0.005), not wanting to sleep in the dark (p=0.005), and sleeping in the parents' bed (p=0.001). Conclusion: It was found that children's sleep patterns changed and the rate of sleep problems increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this period, it is important for pediatric nurses to provide counseling and guidance to children and parents about reducing and preventing sleep-related problems, and to inform them about the guides published by relevant organizations. Keywords: Child, Child health, COVID-19, Pandemic, Sleep 

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