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Sleep Outcomes at 5 Years Old

November 21st, 2024  | News  | Sleep

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Sleep is one of the most talked about impacts from HIE with our global community of families, and across the spectrum of outcomes. When children don’t sleep, parents don’t either and this can impact the full family quality of life.

The Neonatal Seizure Registry group has published new data about long-term outcome data after neonatal seizures, which HIE is the leading cause.

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SUMMARY & KEY FINDINGS

What the investigators 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 this means:

• Sleep disorders are 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.
• This study emphasizes the importance of monitoring sleep health as part of comprehensive care for children recovering from neonatal seizures, including those with HIE.

Want to learn more about the work of the Neonatal Seizure Registry?

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