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Research Update: Sleep Impacts at School Age

December 14th, 2024  | News  | Research  | Sleep

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Children who survive neonatal seizures, including those caused by hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), face a range of challenges that can impact their long-term development. This latest published study from the Neonatal Seizure Registry explored an often-overlooked aspect of patient-family reported outcomes: sleep disorders.

Recognizing that sleep plays a critical role in cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being, the investigators aimed to determine how common sleep problems are among survivors of neonatal seizures by age five, how these issues relate to neurodevelopmental outcomes like cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and how they affect parental mental health.

By identifying these associations, the study highlights an important and potentially modifiable factor that could improve outcomes for children and families navigating the aftermath of neonatal seizures and HIE.

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What the research team wanted to know:

The researchers aimed to understand how common sleep disorders are among children who survived neonatal seizures (including those caused by conditions like HIE), how these disorders relate to developmental outcomes, and whether they impact parental mental health.

What was found:

• Two-thirds of 5-year-old children who had neonatal seizures experienced parent-reported sleep problems, with 25% showing signs of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB).
• Sleep issues were more common in children with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or lower developmental scores (e.g., on cognitive and adaptive skills assessments).
• Poor sleep was associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes and higher rates of parental anxiety and depression.
• Many children without major neurological diagnoses (e.g., epilepsy or cerebral palsy) also had sleep problems, highlighting the broad risk among neonatal seizure survivors.

What it means for families:

• Sleep disorders are often treatable, and early screening for sleep issues in children with neonatal seizures could improve developmental outcomes.
• Addressing sleep problems can also reduce family stress and improve parents’ mental health.
• Families should consider routine sleep assessments and, if needed, referrals to specialists for management of sleep-related concerns.

What’s Next?

Researchers are interested in starting clinical trials with identified interventions to test the hypothesis that we can reduce the amount of sleep issues impacting babies, children and their families who experienced neonatal seizures and HIE at birth.

Resources for Families Affected by HIE and Neonatal Seizures

The journey of navigating HIE and neonatal seizures can be overwhelming, but there are resources and communities dedicated to helping families. Here’s a list of some trusted organizations, support groups, and information hubs that can offer guidance, support, and educational materials.

• Support for HIE Families
• Neonatal Seizure Registry Resources
• Epilepsy Foundation
• Rare Epilepsy Network
• Child Neurology Foundation
• Infantile Spasms Action Network