Asthmatic children exposed to smoking may have trouble sleeping

Sleep issues may be more prevalent in children who have asthma and who also have exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS), according to research published January 18, 2010, online in Pediatrics.

The study, led by Kimberly Yolton, PhD, of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, reviewed data from 219 children, aged 6 to 12 years, with diagnosed asthma that was recently treated. To meet the study criteria, all children were exposed to SHS from at least 5 cigarettes at home daily. Cotinine levels were assessed, and the children's caregivers were asked to complete the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire.

The researchers found that greater SHS exposure was associated with longer delays to sleep onset, more frequent parasomnias and sleep-disordered breathing, more daytime sleepiness, and more overall sleep disturbance.