Behavioral Problems and Neurocognitive Functioning in Snoring School-Aged Children

Kati Hagström*, Outi Saarenpää-Heikkilä, Sari-Leena Himanen, Anna-Maria Lapinlampi and Pirkko Nieminen

Behavioral Problems and Neurocognitive Functioning in Snoring School-Aged Children.

There is evidence that childhood snoring is associated with parent-reported behavioral problems of both externalizing and internalizing nature.6 The strongest associations for externalizing behaviors include hyperactivity, impulsivity, emotional lability, delinquency, conduct problems, aggressive behavior, and oppositional behavior.

Snoring children have also internalizing problems, showing more anxious/depressed mood,
somatic complaints, withdrawal, thought problems, and social problems. A few studies have used teacher reports, showing that teachers report substantially fewer problems than parents.
In a study by Ali, et al. teachers estimated that the children in high risk group of sleep and breathing disorders were more hyperactive and inattentive than the controls. On the other
hand, Arman, et al. found no significant differences in behavioral scales at school setting between the two groups. Kohler, et al. found poor agreement between parent and teacher reports of
individual child behavior.

Previous studies have reported on the significant associations between childhood snoring and a diffuse pattern of impairments in neurocognitive functions. Most studies report significant differences between snoring and non-snoring children in intelligence, attention, and executive functions. This study is a part of a larger study evaluating sleep and sleep-related disorders in school-aged children. The larger study consisted of a sample of 1538 6- to 10-year-old children in Tampere, Finland.

Previous studies have reported on the significant associations between childhood snoring and a diffuse pattern of impairments in neurocognitive functions. Most studies report significant differences between snoring and non-snoring children in intelligence, attention, and executive functions. Less commonly reported deficits are in memory, visual-spatial ability, language skills, and sensomotor functions.
There are several strengths in the present study. This study has the advantage of using simultaneously parent- and teacher-reported data, age-appropriate control group and standardized tests.

Psychol Cogn Sci Open J. 2015; 1(2): 46-53. doi: 10.17140/PCSOJ-1-107

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