Sensory Processing and Sleep in Infants and Toddlers in Health Provider Shortage Areas - A Cohort Study

Background: This study delves into the interplay between sleep quality and sensory processing in infants and toddlers in underserved rural areas in the U.S. Despite established links between these variables in typically developing children, limited research explores this relationship in communities facing elevated rates of mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders. Methods: We aimed to examine the connections between sensory processing at 10, 14, and 18 months postpartum and sleep quality at 18 months in a rural and medically underserved setting. A total of 44-53 participants completed the questionnaire and survey measures at the specified time points. Results: Utilizing the Infant Toddler Sensory Profile-2 and the Infant Health and Sleep Questionnaire adapted from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, our analysis revealed that infants within the majority range for registration at 10 and 18 months displayed enhanced sleep quality at 18 months, with the 14-month analysis showing a trend towards statistical significance. Conclusion: These findings underscore the need to further explore the sensory processing domain of registration, given its consistent relationship with sleep outcomes across different ages in the sample. Infants in the majority range for sensation avoiding at 18 months exhibited improved sleep quality, suggesting that appropriately limiting exposure to noxious stimuli may contribute to more restorative sleep or vice versa.