SLEEP DISORDERS IN VISUALLY-IMPAIRED INFA NTS AND PRESCHOOLERS

A parents' questionnaire was used to assess sleep disorders (night wak ing, settling difficulties) in 265 visually impaired and 67 nondisable d 10- to 72-month-olds. Results showed that multiply handicapped blind children (n = 57), blind children with no additional impairments (n = 56) and multiply handicapped partially sighted children (n = 71) more frequently had difficulties in getting to sleep (more than once a wee k) and in sleeping through the night (night waking more than once per week and taking more than 5-10 minutes to get back to sleep) than nonh andicapped children, whereas the frequency of sleep disorders (night w aking, settling difficulties) in partially sighted children with no ad ditional neurological or physical impairments (n = 81) did not differ from that of nonhandicapped controls. Blind children, whether they wer e multiply handicapped or not, exhibited sleep disorders more frequent ly than partially sighted children. The results indicated relationship s between sleep disorders and the regularity of children's daily routi nes, the activities in the evening before going to bed, and the childr en's sleeping habits.