Factors Causing Sleep Disturbances among School Age Children with Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract
Background: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a group of inherited autosomal recessive hemolytic disorders. Sickle cell disease causes poor sleep quality that affect disease course. So it was important to assess causes of sleep disturbance among these children which in turn will improve children with SCD health outcomes and quality of life.
Aim of the Study: To assess factors causing sleep distur-bances among school age children with SCD.
Patients and Methods: A purposive sample of 50 children who had SCD and attend the outpatient clinic of hematology for follow-up and eligible for inclusion criteria.
Tool of Data Collection: These were 4 tools which utilized which were personal characteristics and medical history sheet, knowledge assessment questionnaire, sleeping disturbance scale for children and structured questionnaire to assess factors causing sleep disturbance.
Results: The study results revealed that more than two thirds of children were between 6Duration of the Study: The study took about 7 months and half as it started from the beginning of October 2016 till half of May 2017.
Conclusion: The current study concluded that environ-mental, psychological, medical and treatment factors were factors causing sleep disturbances among school age children with SCD.
Recommendations: Assessment of sleep disturbances among children with SCD is important to determine its pattern, factors affect sleep disturbances and health education program should be designed and provided for children with SCD, their caregivers about SCD factors causing sleep disturbances and how to deal with them.