MINNEAPOLIS, June 14 (UPI) -- Even mild sleep loss produces marked deficits in children's cognitive development, functioning and speech perception, found U.S. researchers.
Study author Rachel Waford, of the University of Louisville, recorded event-related potentials as a measure of neurocognitive development from 32 children ages 6 and 7 while they listened to the following computer-generated speech syllables: "ba," "da" and "ga."
The results showed that those children not getting an adequate amount of sleep were more likely to incorrectly phonetically code different speech sounds, according to the study presented at Sleep 2007, the 21st annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Minneapolis.
The research shows that even minor sleep loss of one hour less per night for seven nights contributes to disruptions in neurocognitive functioning, the study said.
"The early school years are crucial windows that determine future learning," Waford said in a statement. "Therefore, it is imperative that children in this age range are well-rested to prepare for the demands of the school day."
