Internalizing problems are related to sleep patterns disordered in children affected by primary headache

Abstract

Introduction: Migraine is a common disorder in children and adolescents, associated with various disorders such as emotions, behavioral problems, and sleep disturbances. Aim of the study is to verify the relationship between psychological problems of cephalalgic patients and sleep disturbances. Materials and methods: 64 subjects (27 females), aged 8-12 years (mean 9.4 years, SD ± 1.03) with primary headache were enrolled. CBCL 6-18 scale and the SDSC scale were used for behavioral screening and for assessing sleep habits. Results: According to the ICHD-III criteria, the distribution of the headache subtype was as follows: headaches without aura (71.87%), headache episodes typical of tension (7.81%) and chronic headache (7.81%) (Figure 1). CBCL assessment (total problem element) showed an interesting relationship with sleep disorders such as DIMS, DA and SWTD (respectively r = .37, p = 0.019; r = .39, p = 0.015; r = 37, p = 0.019). Discussion: MwA children revealed a specific behavioral phenotype characterized by internalization problems. Among migraine subjects, prevalent sleep disorders include difficulty falling asleep, increased night-time awakening, decreased sleep duration, and excessive daytime sleepiness.