Normal Sleep Architecture in Infants and Children

Abstract

Because the collection of normative sleep data in the pediatric age group largely depends on technical issues, this article discusses various aspects of sleep recordings in infants and children. Polygraphic monitoring of sleep and waking behavior contributes to a better description of maturational stages in children, from the prenatal period to the end of adolescence. This article reviews the general characteristics of normal children's sleep and the environmental factors that influence these maturational processes. The use of polygraphic recordings to identify neurological deficits and to predict behavioral and neurological outcome in infants and children, however, does not hold great promise. The importance of polysomnographic evaluation is admitted for some major clinical conditions, such as risks for abnormal breathing or narcoleptic attacks.

Avaliação clínica e manejo da insônia em pacientes pediátricos

“…6,[11][12][13][14][15][16] In newborns, the sleep cycle follows the ultradian rhythm (< 24 hours, regardless of night/day), and in the first months of life, the circadian rhythm begins to consolidate (equivalent to 24 hours, dependent upon night/day). At birth, newborns have 3-4 hours of continuous sleep alternated with more or less one hour of wakefulness.…”

“…This rhythm is continuous, regardless of the external environment, i.e., day/night. 15 During the first month of life, the sleep-wake cycle starts to adapt to the night-day cycle. At the end of the first month of life, the night sleep periods last longer.…”

Clinical evaluation and treatment of insomnia in childhood

“…A organização do sono varia de forma significativa do período neonatal à adolescência 6,[11][12][13][14][15][16] . No recém-nascido (RN), a ciclagem do sono obedece a ritmo ultradiano (< 24 horas, independente da noite/dia).…”

“…Ao nascimento, o RN apresenta períodos de 3-4 horas de sono contínuo, intercalados por mais ou menos 1 hora de despertar. Esse ritmo ocorre de forma contínua, independente do meio externo, isto é, dia/noite 15 .…”

A neurophysiological perspective on sleep and its maturation

“…The temporal succession of these different stages during a single period of sleep constitutes the sleep architecture. 6 As sleep stages emerge, different EEG features appear. 'Sleep spindles' are one of the most striking of these features, so-called because they show this configuration in adults.…”