Snoring linked to mood disorders in preschoolers

Helsinki, April 7: Snoring in preschoolers is linked to an increased risk of mood disorders and cognitive impairment, says a new study.

Young children who snore while sleeping are more likely than their quieter peers to develop mood disorders or problems with language and attention.

During the study, scientists followed 43 5-year-old kids who snored and compared them with 46 preschoolers who did not.

All the kids were assessed by their parents with the help of a Child Behavior Checklist, and also by the researchers with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Revised, and some other tests.

Children in the snoring group seemed to have a high rate of mood disorders and they were found to be hit by anxiety and depressiondefine. Overall, 22 percent of snoring children displayed symptoms of mood disorders, which were severe enough to call for clinical evaluation. On the other hand, in the non-snoring group only 11 percent of the children were found to have similar mood problems.

"The results of our study bring out snoring as a possible risk factor for mood problems and cognitive impairment in children," said lead researcher Eeva T. Aronen, M.D., Ph.D., of Helsinki University Central Hospital in Finland.

According to the study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, children who snore also frequently experience other problems like nightmares, talking in their sleep, or difficulties going to bed.

However, aggressive behavior in preschoolers did not seem to have any link to sleep-disordered breathing.

Previous studies have shown that the sleep disorders may have negative effects on the mental health of an individual, but only in cases of adults. This is the first time sleep disorders have been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems in such young children.

"This makes intervening possible before underachieving at school or before more difficult emotional and/or behavioral symptoms develop," said the researchers.

A correct diagnosis and necessary therapeutic measures applied in time may prevent many young children from going into complicated emotional and behavioral problems, which eventually lead to poor school performance.

The researchers suggest further research is required in this direction to assess helpful treatments for snoring problems in young children.