Evaluation of a Sleep Education Program for Low-income Families

1117 Sleep Education Program for Preschool Families—Wilson et al. INTRODUCTION Children require adequate sleep duration for optimal health, growth, and development,1 and meta-analytic data confirm the adverse effect of insufficient sleep on cognition and behavior.2 Preschoolers, generally age 3 to 5 y, are often reported to have insufficient sleep duration,3,4 which in turn is associated with limited parental knowledge about children’s sleep needs.5 Lack of knowledge about children’s sleep is common among parents, as 50–75% incorrectly estimate how much sleep children require.5–7 Parents need education about sleep, particularly when their children are young and the parents have complete control over sleep schedules. Tested interventions have increased children’s knowledge about sleep8–13 and improved children’s self-reported sleep behaviors,14-18 but these studies have included only school-age children or adolescents. To our knowledge, no published study EVALUATION OF A SLEEP EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES