Although sleep problems are common among children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), they do not impact motor or cognitive function, found a recent study published in the Journal of Child Neurology.
Sleeps problems are known to be common in children with DMD. These include both sleep-related breathing disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, and behavioral sleep problems, such as bedtime resistance.
Learn more about DMD treatment and care
The authors aimed to better understand if sleep problems in children with DMD are associated with impairments in motor function, cognitive performance and pulmonary capacity (the amount of air the lungs can hold). Their goal was to determine if sleep disturbances could serve as early indicators of clinical deterioration or if they occur independently of measurable physiological deficits in early-stage DMD.
The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study of 39 ambulatory children, aged 5 to 12. They assessed sleep using the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire–Sleep Related Breathing Disorders (PSQ-SRBD); motor abilities through the 6-minute walk test and muscle strength testing; cognition through dual-task performance; and pulmonary function via spirometry.
They found that, though common, early-stage DMD sleep problems are primarily behavioral, and not yet physiologically impactful: There were no significant correlations between sleep measures and motor, cognitive or respiratory outcomes.
The authors found that two-thirds of the children had sleep problems, a higher percentage than the 20%-25% reported in previous studies. The sleep problems were mainly behavioral, such as bedtime resistance and sleep anxiety. Most children got enough sleep: Only nine children had an insufficient amount of sleep for their age group.
The authors noted that even if cognitive and motor function are not impacted, sleep problems may still affect quality of life in early DMD.
“Such issues may contribute to daytime dysfunction like fatigue, attention problems, and reduced quality of life, regardless of the severity of impairment in motor, cognitive, or pulmonary functions,” the authors noted.
Sign up here to get the latest news, perspectives, and information about DMD sent directly to your inbox. Registration is free and only takes a minute
