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Sleep-disordered breathing, behavior, and academic performance in Taiwan schoolchildren

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Abstract

Objective

The behaviors of children may be affected by sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). This study adopts a cross-sectional approach to investigate the relationship between the sleep apneas–hypopneas index during sleep and the behavioral and academic performance of schoolchildren in Taiwan.

Methods

A total of 138 children (85 boys and 53 girls), ages 6–11, were recruited from two elementary schools to participate in this study. Overnight polysomnographic examinations in hospital were performed to assess sleep quality, including total sleep time, arousal index, apneas–hypopneas index, desaturation index, and lowest oxygen saturation, as well as the percentage of total sleep time spent in rapid eye movement, stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, and stage 4. The children’s parents and teachers were required to complete a Chinese version of the Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher’s Report Form to assess child behavior and academic achievement.

Results

Compared with children without SDB (apneas–hypopneas index ≤1), those with severe SDB (apneas–hypopneas index >15) exhibited more irregular behavioral performance in somatic complaints (odds ratio (OR) = 9.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04–85.71) and attention (OR = 9.95; 95% CI = 1.02–97.00). However, different severities of SDB groups did not show significant associations in academic performance.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that children with severe SDB may predispose to somatic complaints and attention problems so that sleep examination or medical intervention might be provided at an early age in these children.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Taiwan National Science Council Grants 95-2413-H-040-003.

Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have a conflict of interest involved in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hua Ting

  2. Center of Sleep Medicine, Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hua Ting

  3. Department of Public Health, Chung-Shan Medical University, 110 Chien-Kuo N Rd, Sec. 1, Taichung, 40242, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Ruey-Hong Wong, Hao-Jan Yang & Lee Wang

  4. Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Shu-Ping Lee

  5. Department of Physical Therapy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Shin-Da Lee

  6. Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Shin-Da Lee

  7. Department of Family and Community Medicine, Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, 110 Chien-Kuo N Rd, Sec. 1, Taichung, 40242, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Lee Wang

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  1. Hua Ting
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lee Wang.

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Ting, H., Wong, RH., Yang, HJ. et al. Sleep-disordered breathing, behavior, and academic performance in Taiwan schoolchildren. Sleep Breath 15, 91–98 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-010-0329-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-010-0329-4

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