[Sleep alterations in childhood victims of sexual and physical abuse].

INTRODUCTION

The abused child syndrome is related to a variety of emotional disorders, among which are the "post-traumatic stress syndrome" and the phenomena "re-experience," which is related to disturbances of the normal sleep-wake cycle.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the polysomnographic characteristics of the abused child syndrome and compare them with paired healthy children.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

After two-night habituation, all-night video-digital polygraphic recordings following recommendations of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology were performed in 15 abused child syndrome and 15 healthy controls.

RESULTS

In the abused child syndrome patients, the main sleep changes were decreased sleep efficiency, decreased sleep onset sleep latency, increased wakefulness, decreased REM sleep and total sleep time.

CONCLUSIONS

The abused child syndrome have abnormal sleep patterns, independent of the type of abuse, age or sex. Sleep alterations are a new characteristic of the abused child syndrome, not previously described.