0987 SLEEP AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING AMONG YOUNG CHILDREN PRESENTING TO URBAN PRIMARY CARE CLINICS

Abstract

Introduction: Early childhood is a period of rapid cognitive and behavioral development. Poor quality sleep and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are associated with worse executive functioning (EF) skills during childhood and adolescence. However, few studies have examined these associations among socio-demographically diverse preschool-aged children. Thus, this study examined sleep patterns and problems and their association with EF skills in primarily low-income young children presenting to urban primary care clinics. Methods: Caregivers (85% mothers) of 40 children ages 2-5 years (mean age = 3.3 years; 57.5% males; 77% African American; 20% non-Latino White; 2.5% Asian) presenting at primary care clinics completed questionnaires on child sleep (Brief Child Sleep Questionnaire; Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire, Sleep-Related Breathing Disorder subscale), child EF (Behavioral Rating Inventory of EF-Preschool Version), and caregiver depressed mood (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale-Revised). The majority (62.5%) of caregivers reported an average family income of ≤ $30,000. Results: Separate linear regressions were used to examine sleep patterns (bedtime, sleep onset latency, night awakenings frequency, nighttime sleep duration), OSA symptoms, and caregiver-perceived sleep problems as predictors of the global executive composite (GEC) clinical T-score, controlling for child age, sex, and caregiver depressed mood. Having increased nighttime awakenings (b = 5.03, p = 0.024), symptoms of OSA (b = 5.82, p< 0.001), and caregiver-reported sleep problems (b = 20.01, p = 0.003) were associated with increased GEC deficits. There were no significant effects for bedtime, sleep onset latency, or nighttime sleep duration. Conclusion: Night awakenings, OSA symptoms, and caregiver- perceived sleep problems were associated with global executive functioning impairments among preschool-aged children. Although longitudinal studies on this topic that assess likely bidirectional effects are needed, results underscore the relationship between healthy sleep and positive early childhood development.