Project Details

Validating pediatric under-the-mattress sleep assessments with ambulatory EEG and actigraphy

Katharina Pittner, PhD

Summary

BACKGROUND: Sleep problems are common in children. The current gold standard for assessing sleep, polysomnography, is expensive and burdensome for families. GAP: Newly developed under-the-mattress sleep sensors estimate sleep based on movement, breathing, and heart rate while a person is in bed. Thus far, under-the-mattress sleep sensors have not been validated for sleep assessments in pediatric populations. HYPOTHESIS: We propose that under-the-mattress sleep sensors can be used to classify sleep vs. wake states and sleep stages in 4 to 5-year-old children. We will further use the data to development a classification algorithm for sleep and sleep stages based on the EEG data. METHODS: In 50 4-5-year-old children, we will collect two weeks of under-the-mattress sleep sensor and actigraphy data and on two nights we will additionally collect EEG data with an ambulatory EEG. Data collection will take place in participants’ homes. RESULTS: Pending. IMPACT: While under-the-mattress sleep sensors will not replace polysomnography, they offer an alternative when polysomnography is not feasible and allow longer assessments in a naturalistic environment. The possibility to use longer assessments in a diagnostic context is not trivial since sleep shows high day-to-day variability and fits well with current developments towards precision medicine.