ABSTRACT
Studies of snoring and sleep disturbance in the United States have been predominately
in clinic-based settings of children suspected to have obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea
syndrome. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to utilize an orthodontic setting
in which healthy children were seen regularly to study the prevalence of snoring and
sleep disturbance among 405 children aged 6 to 17 years of age and to identify specific
sleep behavior patterns associated with the increased odds of snoring. A sleep behavior
questionnaire was administered to the child's parent or guardian. The questionnaire
responses were analyzed using χ2 analysis, and factor analysis was used to extract meaningful domains. The selected
domains were used later in a logistic model to calculate the odds of snoring. The
results indicated that 17% of the children habitually snored. The odds of snoring
were approximately three times greater among mouth breathers and children who slept
with their head tipped back and 1.5 times greater among those with morning headaches
and frequent coughs and colds. In conclusion, snorers have significantly more sleep
behavior problems than do nonsnorers.
KEYWORD
Children - snoring - sleep behavior - prevalence
