Awareness of sleep and narcolepsy in children

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to increase the awareness of narcolepsy in children and emphasize the reduction of the socioeconomic burden caused by the delayed or incorrect diagnosis.Materials and Methods: Demographic characteristics, clinical features, and electrophysiological studies of children diagnosed with narcolepsy in the Bursa Uludag University, Health Practice and Research Hospital, Clinic of Pediatric Neurology, were obtained from medical records.Results: Six children were included in the study. The average age at which the initial symptoms were observed was 11.5 years, whereas the average age of diagnosis was 13.5 years. Daytime sleep was accompanied by cataplexy in five cases and hypnogogic hallucinations in one case. Notably, the seizure was primarily considered in the differential diagnosis before diagnosing narcolepsy.Conclusion: It is crucial to increase the awareness of narcolepsy by physicians. Although families and children cannot express sleep disorders, we believe that questioning of sleep patterns during anamnesis in routine neurology practice could prevent delayed diagnosis.