DOI: 10.26650/jchild.2026.1965593 ISSN: 1308-8491

Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Allergy Patients

Deniz Özçeker, Sümeyye Yürük, Aslı Berivan Topçak
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Objective: Approximately 8% of children worldwide are affected by allergic diseases. Sleep disturbances are an important condition that adversely affects quality of life, academic performance, and overall health. This study aimed to examine the relationship between allergic diseases and sleep disturbances in school-aged children.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study included children aged 6–12 years with a diagnosis of allergic disease, as well as individuals in the healthy control group. Demographic and clinical data were recorded, and disease severity was classified according to international guidelines. Sleep disturbances were assessed using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children.Results: Children with allergic diseases exhibited significantly higher frequencies of difficulties in initiating and maintaining sleep, sleep-disordered breathing, arousal disorders, sleep–wake transition disorders, and excessive sweating during sleep compared with healthy controls (all p < 0.001). Sleep disturbance scores were positively correlated with the severity of asthma and allergic rhinitis, whereas no significant associations were observed with atopic dermatitis or chronic urticaria severity. In multivariate analyses, the presence of allergic disease was independently associated with sleep-disordered breathing, arousal disorders, sleep–wake transition disorders, and excessive sweating during sleep.Conclusion: School-aged children with allergic diseases experience more sleep disturbances than their healthy peers. The association between sleep disturbances and the severity of asthma and allergic rhinitis highlights the importance of a routine assessment of sleep health as part of the comprehensive management of pediatric allergic diseases.

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