Behavioral and Sleep Disorders in Children and Adolescents following COVID-19 Disease: A Case-Control Study
Michele Miraglia del Giudice,
Angela Klain,
Giulio Dinardo,
Elisabetta D’Addio,
Chiara Lucia Bencivenga,
Cristina Fontanella,
Fabio Decimo,
Giuseppina Rosaria Umano,
Margherita Siciliano,
Marco Carotenuto,
Cristiana Indolfi
Affiliations
Michele Miraglia del Giudice
Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Angela Klain
Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Giulio Dinardo
Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Elisabetta D’Addio
Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Chiara Lucia Bencivenga
Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Cristina Fontanella
Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Caserta, Italy
Fabio Decimo
Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Giuseppina Rosaria Umano
Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Margherita Siciliano
Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Caserta, Italy
Marco Carotenuto
Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Caserta, Italy
Cristiana Indolfi
Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Introduction: Recent studies show that neuropsychiatric disorders are the most frequent sequelae of COVID-19 in children. Purpose: Our work aimed to evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on behavior and sleep in children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 107 patients aged 1.5–18 years who contracted COVID-19 between one year and one month prior to data collection, referred to the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli in Italy. We asked their parents to complete two standardized questionnaires for the assessment of behavior (Child Behavior CheckList (CBCL)) and sleep (Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SLDS)). We analysed and compared the results with a control group (pre-COVID-19 pandemic). Results: In the COVID-19 group, the major results were found for sleep breathing disorders, sleep–wake transition disorders and disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep for the SDSC questionnaire, and internalizing scale, total scale and anxiety/depression for the CBCL questionnaire. The comparison of the CBCL results of the cases with the controls revealed statistically significant differences for the following items: internalizing scale, externalizing scale, somatic complaints, total score, thought problems [(p p < 0.001)]. Conclusions: COVID-19 has impacted children’s and adolescents’ mental health. Adolescents were the most affected patient group for internalizing problems, including anxiety and depression.
