HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in ADC Online Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Montgomery, P Articles by Wiggs, L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Montgomery, P Articles by Wiggs, L Topic Collections Relevant Article

The relative efficacy of two brief treatments for sleep problems in young learning disabled (mentally retarded) children: a randomised controlled trial

University of Oxford Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Oxford, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr P Montgomery
University of Oxford Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Park Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LQ, UK; paul.montgomery{at}psych.ox.ac.uk

Background: Settling and night waking problems are particularly prevalent, persistent, and generally considered difficult to treat in children with a learning disability, although intervention trials are few. Scarce resources, however, limit access to proven behavioural treatments.

Aims: To investigate the efficacy of a media based brief behavioural treatment of sleep problems in such children by comparing (1) face-to-face delivered treatment versus control and (2) booklet delivered treatment versus controls.

Methods: The parents of 66 severely learning disabled children aged 2–8 years with settling and/or night waking problems took part in a randomised controlled trial with a wait-list control group. Behavioural treatments were presented either conventionally face-to-face or by means of a 14 page easy to read illustrated booklet. A composite sleep disturbance score was derived from sleep diaries kept by parents.

Results: Both forms of treatment were almost equally effective compared with controls. Two thirds of children who were taking over 30 minutes to settle five or more times per week and waking at night for over 30 minutes four or more times per week improved on average to having such settling or night waking problems for only a few minutes or only once or twice per week (H = 34.174, df = 2, p<0.001). These improvements were maintained after six months.

Conclusions: Booklet delivered behavioural treatments for sleep problems were as effective as face-to-face treatment for most children in this population.

Keywords: sleep; booklet; behavioural; treatment; rct

Relevant Article

Atoms

Howard Bauchner
Arch. Dis. Child. 2004 89: 96. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L Wiggs Behavioural aspects of children's sleep Arch. Dis. Child., January 1, 2009; 94(1): 59 - 62. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Other articles noted: 06 Feb 2004 to 16 Apr 2004 Evid. Based Nurs., July 1, 2004; 7(3): e3 - e3. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Kemp Treating sleep problems in learning disabled youths AAP News, May 1, 2004; 24(5): 214 - 214. [Full Text]