To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Nocturnal Asthma Increases Risk Of Psychological Problems URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/7DFFA.htm Doctor's Guide May 21, 1998
LONDON, ENGLAND -- May 21, 1998 -- Mood disorders, poor memory and poor concentration in children can be caused by sleep disruption as a result of nocturnal asthma, finds a study in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood. Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood and seems to be increasing both in rate and severity. The researchers charted the sleep patterns, cognitive function and mood of 21 children with asthma and 18 healthy children aged between five and 16 over four weeks. They found that at the start of this period, the asthmatics had much higher rates of disrupted sleep and daytime sleepiness and that they performed significantly less well than the non-asthmatics on memory tests. The asthmatics also reported themselves to be more depressed, while they were rated by their parents as having significantly more learning difficulties, psychosomatic symptoms, and behavioural problems. The sleep of the children with asthma was much more disrupted by both brief and longer wakenings than that of the other children. Changes in asthma treatment significantly decreased the number and length of episodes of nocturnal waking, with a subsequent improvement in memory function and mood. "Sleep disturbance and its potential psychological effects are much more common in children with asthma than is realised and they need to be corrected as part of overall care," the authors write. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.