Sleep disorders in children with blindness.

Leger, Damien; Prevot, Elisabeth; Philip, Pierre; Yence, Charlotte; Labaye, Nadine; Paillard, Michel; Guilleminault, Christian; Leger, D; Prevot, E; Philip, P; Yence, C; Labaye, N; Paillard, M; Guilleminault, C

To evaluate the frequency and type of sleep disorders seen in blind children compared with matched controls, a 42-item questionnaire was used on 156 children (77 blind children) ranging from 3 to 18 years of age. A total of 17.4% of blind children reported sleeping less than 7 hours per night on weekdays compared with 2.6% of controls, with blind children awakening much earlier. Blind children had more sleep complaints, and 13.4% of blind subjects had daily episodes of involuntary sleepiness compared with 1.3% of controls. Blindness has an impact on sleep and alertness that adds to the primary disability.

Annals of Neurology, 1999, Vol 46, Issue 4, p648

0364-5134

Academic Journal