Background: Sleep is essential for the development of children and adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the sleep habits of children and adolescents followed in pediatric consultations at ULS Tâmega Sousa. Method: Caregivers completed the modified Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep (DIMS) questionnaire, divided into Part A (insomnia screening, 7 questions) and Part B (evaluation of other sleep disorders, 3 questions). Questionnaires were distributed in the waiting room of pediatric consultations between June and July 2023. Responses were excluded if gender or age information was missing or if the patient was younger than 3 years. Results: A total of 165 responses were obtained, of which 138 valid questionnaires were analysed (52.2% male, median age 9 years). The highest scoring question in Part A was: “Does the child have difficulty falling asleep at night?”. Nevertheless, most caregivers (81%) reported their child taking up to 30 minutes to fall asleep after going to bed. Regarding sleep duration, 39.7% of children slept between 8 and 9 hours, and 36% slept between 9 and 11 hours. However, in the school-age group, only 35.2% of the sample slept the recommended hours (9 to 11 hours). Based on the total Part A score, 45 patients were classified as without insomnia, 65 at risk, and 28 with insomnia, corresponding to 67.4% of the sample being at risk or already with established insomnia. No statistically significant association was found between insomnia risk and gender (p = 0.610) or age group (p = 0.991). Overall, 49.3% of patients were identified as potentially benefiting from referral to a specialty consultation. Conclusion: This study shows that most children in the sample experience significant sleep impairment. These findings reinforce the importance of including sleep assessment as a routine part of pediatric consultations, promoting early interventions to minimize the potential consequences of impaired sleep on development.
Correia et al. (Thu,) studied this question.