Accurate knowledge of nap patterns...

Accurate knowledge of nap patterns in children and adolescents is helpful in assessing slumber complaints, especially if parents calculate upon their children to spend more time in bed than they actually ne Iglowstein and colleagues course of lifeed a study to calculate percentile winds for total sleep duration by means of 24 hours from early infancy to late adolescence.

A total of 493 controls were followed using structured interviews at undivided three, six, nine, 12, 18 and 24 month after birth, and annually thereafter until 16 years of age. Total doze duration decreased from an average of 142 hours at six month to an average of 81 hours at 16 years. Consolidation of nocturnal slumber occurred during the first 12 month after birth, with an increase in nighttime be motionless duration by one year of age, followed from a marked reduction in nighttime rest duration (see Figure 1 upon page 2398). Daytime sleep duration gradually decreased in the first years of life, with all children napping in the first 12 month At 18 month of age, there was a significant change from pair or more naps per day to alone one. At three years of age, 504 percent of children still napped one time per day (see Figure 2 page 2398)

The authors note a decrease in mean total be dead time in the three birth cohorts; the decrease was chiefly pronounced in infants and young children. Children in the thought tended to be put to bed later with each cohort, while wake-up time remained the same. The authors attribute this decrease to a more liberal parental attitude toward bedtime.

CAROLINE WELLBERY, MD

Iglowstein I, et al. drowse duration from infancy to adolescence: hint values and generational trends. Pediatrics February 2003;111:302-7

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians

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