Daily Routines and Sleep Disorders in Visually Impaired Children

Abstract

Abstract A parents' questionnaire was used to assess sleep disorders (night waking, settling problems) in 265 visually impaired and 67 nondisabled 10‐ to 72‐month‐olds. Results showed that multiple handicapped blind children (n=57), blind children with no additional impairments (n=56), and multiple handicapped partially sighted children (n=71) more frequently had difficulties in falling asleep (more than once a week) and in sleeping through the night (night waking more than once per week and taking more than 5‐10 minutes to get back to sleep) than nonhandicapped children (n=67), whereas the frequency of sleep disorders (night waking, settling problems) in partially sighted children with no additional neurological or physical impairments (n=81) did not differ from that of nonhandicapped controls. The results indicated relationships between sleep disorders and the regularity of children's daily routines and activities in the evening before going to bed, as well as the children's sleeping habits.