Can snoring be a cause of aggressive behaviour in children

Introduction Snoring, as a first symptom of impaired breathing during sleep, seems to be an important risk factor for behavioural disturbances in children. The study was conducted to find out how sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in a population of first graders in one province of Poland influences their behaviour. Materials and methods A population single-stage cross-sectional study using a parent-reported questionnaire was applied. 1480 first graders were involved. We collected data about snoring, age, weight, height and parent-reported problems with child behaviour. The data were analysed in terms of BMI, breathing disturbances and aggressive behaviour. Results We’ve got completed 1107 (74.8%) of 1480 sent questionnaires. 560 girls and 547 boys were recruited. The mean age of the children was 7.31. There were 64.7% children considered non-snorers, and 35.3% snorers. 7.5% were considered habitual snorers. We also divided children into two subgroups: normal-weight and overweight. There was a linear association of aggressive behaviour with the increasing severity of snoring on a 5-point scale with highly significant differences ( p  0.00001). In both the overweight and normal-weight subgroups, snorers showed statistically more aggressive behaviour ( p  0,0019; p  0,0098) than non-snorers. Conclusion Snoring can drive to aggressive behaviour in population of first graders. The severity of breathing disturbances during sleep is associated with increasing aggressive behavioural problems, both in the subgroups of normal weight and overweight children. Acknowledgements The Authors thank Wielka Orkiestra Swiatecznej Pomocy Foundation (The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity) which supported the study.