Development of parasomnias from childhood to early adolescence

Objectives. This study examines the prevalence and developmental changes of parasomnias and assesses gender differences, relationships between parasom nias, and associations with anxiety and family adversity using data collect ed during the course of a longitudinal study of a representative sample of children from Quebec. Method. The present analyses are based on results available for 664 boys an d 689 girls for whom mothers have completed questions concerning demographi cs, parasomnias, and anxiety level. For the prevalence and developmental as pects of parasomnias, prospective data were collected at annual intervals f rom 11 to 13 years old and retrospective data for the period between ages 3 and 10 years were collected when the children were 10 years old. Results. Somniloquy, leg restlessness, and sleep bruxism are the most frequ ent parasomnias. More girls were afflicted with leg restlessness, while enu resis and somniloquy were more common in boys. High anxiety scores were fou nd in children suffering from night terrors, somniloquy, leg restlessness, sleep bruxism, and body rocking. Parasomnias were unrelated to the index of family adversity. Conclusions. Although sleepwalking, night terrors, enuresis, and body rocki ng dramatically decreased during childhood, somniloquy, leg restlessness, a nd sleep bruxism were still highly prevalent at age 13 years, paralleling r esults found in adults. Sleepwalking, night terrors, and somniloquy are con ditions often found together. The only robust gender difference was for enu resis. High anxiety scores in parasomnias are reported for the first time i n a large, controlled study. Sociodemographic variables do not seem to play a major role in the occurrence of parasomnias.