Problematic Media Use Tied to Sleep Disturbances in Children Diagnosed With Enuresis

MONDAY, June 29, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Problematic media use is associated with sleep disturbances in children diagnosed with enuresis, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Pediatric Urology.

Çiğdem Arslan Alıcı, from the Health Sciences University Eskisehir City Hospital, and Eylül Gülnur Erdoğan, from the Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, both in Turkey, investigated the relationship between problematic media use and sleep disorders in children diagnosed with enuresis. Analysis included responses from parents of 186 children (aged 6 to 12 years).

The researchers found a moderate positive correlation between problematic media use and sleep disorders (r = 0.445). This relationship was most evident in the subscales of sleep initiation and maintenance disorders (r = 0.401), sleep-wake transition disorders (r = 0.342), and excessive sleepiness disorders (r = 0.283). There were statistically significant differences seen between the Problematic Media Use Scale-Parent Form total score and the Sleep Disorder Scale for Children total score, according to the variable of children”s average daily internet usage time, as well as the subscale scores for Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders and Sleep-Wake Transition Disorders. Compared to other groups, children who used the internet for more than five hours per day had higher subscale scores.

“Incorporating the assessment of sleep patterns and digital media habits into the routine clinical evaluation of enuretic children may be valuable, and family-based behavioral interventions supporting healthy media use and sleep hygiene should be considered as adjunctive strategies in enuresis management,” the authors write.

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