The Sleep Knowledge of Pediatricians and Child Neuropsychiatrists.

To investigate the attitudes, practices and beliefs regarding children's sleep problems; their effect on the family; the actual treatment and beliefs of their efficacy; the basic knowledge of sleep and sleep disorders in children. A two-page questionnaire was sent to a representative sample of 8050 pediatricians (PED) and 1515 child neuropsychiatrists (ChNP). Questionnaire consisted of several questions on estimation of prevalence of sleep disordered patients, on beliefs about children's sleep difficulties, on the prescribed treatments, on reported effectiveness and on the overall effects of sleep problems on the family. A second questionnaire named Sleep Knowledge Questionnaire (SKQ) consisted of 30 true/false questions on sleep issues concerning 6 areas: developmental issues, sleep hygiene, parasomnias, sleep apnea, narcolepsy and miscellanea. A total of 751 questionnaires were returned: 627 from PED and 120 from ChNP. PED indicated that 18.60% of their patients experienced sleep problems, a lower percentage than that indicated by ChNP (21.81%). Pharmacological treatment was prescribed by 58.54% of PED and by 61.21% of ChNP Among non-pharmacological treatment, the majority of PED and ChNP recommended the establishment of a bedtime routine while a low percentage recommended Ferber's method. Both categories of physicians scored low in all areas of sleep knowledge investigated and particularly in questions about narcolepsy, sleep apnea and parasomnias. Results of the present study supported the need for more education in sleep and sleep disorders among Italian physicians and the necessity to change the physicians' approach to childhood sleep problems.