BACKGROUND: The psychological impact of childhood atopic eczema on parents and carers is poorly quantified. Objectives To compare the impact of caring for a child with atopic eczema vs. asthma on parents' sleep and well-being. METHODS: Ninety-two parents of 55 children who had moderate to severe atopic eczema or asthma took part in this prospective, questionnaire-based study. It was conducted at regional eczema and asthma outpatient clinics within a U.K. tertiary paediatric hospital. The main outcome measures were the number and duration of parents' sleep disturbances, as well as their anxiety and depression scores. RESULTS: Mothers caring for children with atopic eczema lost a median of 39 min of sleep per night and fathers lost 45 min sleep per night. This compared with a median of 0 min sleep lost by parents who had children with asthma (P < 0.001). These differences were independent of the age of the children, and whether the child came from a single-parent or two-parent family. There was a direct correlation between the severity of sleep disturbance and the level of maternal anxiety (rho = 0.58; P = 0.002) and depression (rho = 0.73; P < 0.001), as well as the level of paternal anxiety (rho = 0.59; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with looking after a child with chronic asthma, caring for a child with chronic atopic eczema was associated with greater parental sleep disturbances. Disruption to parental sleep correlated with anxiety levels and, in the case of mothers, depression scores.
BACKGROUND: The psychological impact of childhood atopic eczema on parents and carers is poorly quantified. Objectives To compare the impact of caring for a child with atopic eczema vs. asthma on parents' sleep and well-being. METHODS: Ninety-two parents of 55 children who had moderate to severe atopic eczema or asthma took part in this prospective, questionnaire-based study. It was conducted at regional eczema and asthmaoutpatient clinics within a U.K. tertiary paediatric hospital. The main outcome measures were the number and duration of parents' sleep disturbances, as well as their anxiety and depression scores. RESULTS: Mothers caring for children with atopic eczema lost a median of 39 min of sleep per night and fathers lost 45 min sleep per night. This compared with a median of 0 min sleep lost by parents who had children with asthma (P < 0.001). These differences were independent of the age of the children, and whether the child came from a single-parent or two-parent family. There was a direct correlation between the severity of sleep disturbance and the level of maternal anxiety (rho = 0.58; P = 0.002) and depression (rho = 0.73; P < 0.001), as well as the level of paternal anxiety (rho = 0.59; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with looking after a child with chronic asthma, caring for a child with chronic atopic eczema was associated with greater parental sleep disturbances. Disruption to parental sleep correlated with anxiety levels and, in the case of mothers, depression scores.
Authors: Anne M Mannering; Gordon T Harold; Leslie D Leve; Katherine H Shelton; Daniel S Shaw; Rand D Conger; Jenae M Neiderhiser; Laura V Scaramella; David Reiss Journal: Child Dev Date: 2011-05-11
Authors: Dayna A Johnson; Lisa J Meltzer; Talan Zhang; Mei Lu; Andrea E Cassidy-Bushrow; Stephanie Stokes-Buzzelli; Elizabeth Duffy; Brittany McKinnon; Prashant Mahajan; Susan Redline; Christine Lm Joseph Journal: Sleep Health Date: 2017-12-19
Authors: Michiko Otsuki; Michelle N Eakin; Cynthia S Rand; Arlene M Butz; Van Doren Hsu; Ilene H Zuckerman; Jean Ogborn; Andrew Bilderback; Kristin A Riekert Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2009-12 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Willem H Leemreis; Jolanda M E Okkerse; Peter C J de Laat; Gerard C Madern; Léon N A van Adrichem; Frank Verhulst; Arnold P Oranje Journal: Eur J Pediatr Date: 2013-06-18 Impact factor: 3.183