A major conference of Sleep (SLEEP 2007, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies) has produced a number of papers on the sleep issue and children. Some highlights:

• A study of of the University of Wichita looks at poor sleep hygiene and behavior problems--snoring is strongly associated with cognitive/inattention problems, hyperactivity, perfectionism, ADHD index, and restless and impulsivity. Read more here.

• A study from the University of Louisville looked at how sleep loss affects attention in children. By assessing brain waves associated with attention,  researchers created a model that could accurately predict the degree of attention loss associated with sleep deprivation. More here.

• Sleep restriction may affect children's speech and language. Another paper from Louisville researchers show that the even mild sleep loss produces marked deficits in children's development and functioning. More here.