Introduction:

we conducted a cross-sectional and descriptive study by means of a questionnaire in the paediatrics clinics of the Paseo Imperial and Pozuelo Estación primary care centres in Madrid with the aim of describing the sleep patterns of children born at term currently aged 4 years in 2 urban areas of the Community of Madrid and of analysing potential associations with various variables: parenting history and sleep habits and socioeconomic and family-related factors.

Material and methods:

the study included 193 children, of who 111 (57.8%) had abnormal screening results; 94.9% slept 9 or more hours per night. When it came to the parenting history, 89.6% had been breastfed, 51.8% for more than 6 months, and 28.5% had coslept with parents. At the time of the study, 51% shared a room with siblings, while 9.9% slept with parents. Also, 57.8% use electronic devices for sleep induction.

Results:

we found higher percentages of possible sleep disturbances in only children, children not attending a childcare centre, currently sleeping with parents, that engaged in reactive cosleeping or used electronic devices after dinner.

Conclusions:

the prevalence of warning signs of sleep disorders was high, and given the long-term repercussions of these problems, it is important to have in place an adequate screening protocol to identify children with potential disturbances. Adequate awareness of identified associations would allow paediatricians to deliver educational interventions to susceptible families in order to prevent or resolve sleep abnormalities.

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