THE INCIDENCE OF SLEEPING PROBLEMS IN PRETERM AND FULL-TERM INFANTS DISCHARGED FROM NEONATAL SPECIAL CARE UNITS - AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

Anecdotal reports have suggested that sleeping problems are a frequent complaint from parents of preterm infants. This prospective epidemiol ogical study examined the incidence and stability of sleeping problems of very preterm (< 32 weeks gestation at birth), preterm (32-36 weeks gestation) and fullterm infants, all admitted to special care baby un its (SCBU) after birth, in comparison to healthy term infants over the first 5 years of life. Preterm infants were found to have fewer and s horter night-wakings at 5 months. No differences in sleeping behaviour compared with healthy term children were found at 20 and 56 months of age. Similar significant, and moderate, stability of nightwaking from one age to the next were found for exSCBU-graduates and healthy fullt erm infants. Parental interventions such as staying with the child unt il asleep and taking the infant into bed at night were related to nigh twaking problems and increased parental distress. It is concluded that prematurity, and thus neurological immaturity and special care experi ence are less important than caretaking behaviour in the development o f sleeping problems in both preterm and fullterm infants.