Sleep Behaviors and Parent Functioning in Young Children With Type 1 Diabetes

Child Health Care. 2012 Jan 1;41(3):246-259. doi: 10.1080/02739615.2012.685385.

Abstract

This study evaluates sleep characteristics among young children with type 1 diabetes and associations with parent sleep and emotional functioning and diabetes care. Study participants included twenty-four parents of young children with type 1 diabetes (ages 2-5) enrolled in a pilot study of a randomized-controlled trial. Child sleep characteristics were within normal limits. However, increased child bedtime resistance and behavioral insomnia were related to greater parent stress, anxiety, and depression and use of an intensive insulin regimen. Type 1 diabetes management may impact child and parent sleep as well as parent emotional functioning. Implications for practice are presented.