The influence of sleep habits and sleep patterns during infancy on children's cognitive behavioral aspects

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K15669
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52050:Embryonic medicine and pediatrics-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Murata Emi 大阪大学, 大学院連合小児発達学研究科, 特任助教(常勤) (30815824)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 乳幼児期 / 神経発達症児 / 定型発達児 / 睡眠習慣 / 睡眠障害 / 発達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although, sleep is important the physiological mechanism for development brain, the sleep problems until three years old increase risk later development (Touchette E, et al., 2007). Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) often have more sleep problems than children with typical development (Mindell, & Owens, 2015). In addition, the sleep problems in infancy are important risk factors of difficulty child care (Morgenthaler TI, 2006), and it cannot deny the danger leading to child abuse. We revealed that the difference of the sleep until three years old, which influence later development, of the children with NDD group and the children with non-NDD group through their caregiver's reminiscences.

Free Research Field

発達臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

インタビュー調査の結果、3歳までの子どもの睡眠についてNDD群は非NDD群に比して、乳幼児期から子どもの睡眠に関して多様な困難さを抱えている養育者が多いだけでなく、その困難さの内容や程度も非NDD群とは大きく異なるものであることが示唆された。
本研究で明らかになった困難さについて、乳幼児健康診査やかかりつけ医受診時に、【夜泣き】や【寝つきの悪さ】と言ったフレーズにとどまらず、その内容についても詳細に聞き取りを行うことにより、睡眠の問題に加えて、子どもが抱える発達の偏りの早期の気づき、ひいては虐待予防につながる可能性も示唆された。