Clinical trial · Interventional
A Nurse-led Multicomponent Interventional Protocol to Improve Sleep Quality in Paediatric Oncology Patients
The Dreamcatchers Programme - A Nurse-led Multicomponent Interventional Protocol to Improve Sleep Quality in Paediatric Oncology Patients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Sleep is essential for a child's development, influencing cognitive function, emotional stability, recovery, and overall well-being. Prolonged and intensive treatments for pediatric oncology patients can lead to sleep disturbances that are often overlooked by caregivers and healthcare professionals as temporary side effects. Symptoms may include difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, reduced sleep duration, or perceived poor sleep quality. Recent studies indicate that sleep disturbances affect between 13% to 50% of leukemia survivors and up to 80% of children with central nervous system tumors. A recent study in Hong Kong found that approximately 45% of pediatric oncology survivors continue to face sleep challenges, underscoring the global and local relevance of this issue. These sleep disturbances in this vulnerable group often result from factors such as pain and nausea due to chemotherapy side effects, which can be exacerbated by corticosteroids. The immediate discomfort caused by sleep disruptions can significantly affect treatment adherence, daily activities, social interactions, and overall quality of life. While pharmacological approaches remain the standard treatment for pediatric sleep disturbances, this method carries significant risks, including potential drug interactions and dependence. Non-pharmacological options, however, empower patients and caregivers to manage sleep issues without increasing medication use, promoting a proactive approach to sleep health. In response to the need to enhance sleep quality among pediatric oncology patients, the Dreamcatchers Programme was developed as a nurse-led initiative. This program focuses on relaxation and offers sustainable strategies for improved sleep through sleep hygiene practices, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), and breathing exercises for both patients and caregivers. Evidence-based interventions equip nurses with holistic techniques that address gaps in their knowledge and skills. This project proposal details a randomized controlled pilot study aimed at evaluating the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the Dreamcatchers Programme, setting the groundwork for a standardized sleep management protocol in pediatric oncology care.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatrics Cancer | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (3)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breathing exercises | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Progressive Muscle Relaxation | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Sleep Hygiene Education | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Education with Exercises
- description
- The intervention group will receive the Dreamcatchers Programme, including sleep hygiene education, PMR, and breathing control exercises, which will be delivered over 4 weeks with weekly in-person follow-ups.
- interventionNames
- Other: Sleep Hygiene Education
- Other: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Other: Breathing exercises
- type
- NO_INTERVENTION
- label
- Control
- description
- The waitlist control group will continue to receive routine hospital support and pediatric oncology health information (e.g., neutropenic diet tips) to maintain engagement without sleep-specific strategies. In order to ensure fairness, participants of the waitlist control group will be given access to the Dreamcatchers Programme once the final follow-up assessment is completed.
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 6 Years
- Maximum age
- 12 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Children who can read and communicate in Chinese * Aged 6 to 12 years old (school-aged children). * Diagnosed with cancer and currently undergoing active treatment. * Identified as experiencing sleep disturbances, defined by a Chinese Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score of ≥5. Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosed with hematological diseases unrelated to cancer (e.g., sickle cell anemia, thalassemia). * Presence of severe cognitive impairment, which may hinder the ability to follow instructions or engage with intervention components.
References
Publications (17)
- BACKGROUNDZupanec S, Jones H, McRae L, Papaconstantinou E, Weston J, Stremler R. A Sleep Hygiene and Relaxation Intervention for Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Cancer Nurs. 2017 Nov/Dec;40(6):488-496. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000457. PMID 27922922
- BACKGROUNDZaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B, Gemignani A. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018 Sep 7;12:353. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353. eCollection 2018. PMID 30245619
- BACKGROUNDWalter LM, Nixon GM, Davey MJ, Downie PA, Horne RS. Sleep and fatigue in pediatric oncology: A review of the literature. Sleep Med Rev. 2015 Dec;24:71-82. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2015.01.001. Epub 2015 Jan 13. PMID 25679070
- BACKGROUNDTeresi JA, Yu X, Stewart AL, Hays RD. Guidelines for Designing and Evaluating Feasibility Pilot Studies. Med Care. 2022 Jan 1;60(1):95-103. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001664. PMID 34812790
- BACKGROUNDTanriverdi M, Cakir E, Akkoyunlu ME, Cakir FB. Effect of virtual reality-based exercise intervention on sleep quality in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and healthy siblings: A randomized controlled trial. Palliat Support Care. 2022 Aug;20(4):455-461. doi: 10.1017/S1478951522000268. PMID 35289266
- BACKGROUNDSriasih NK, Allenidekania, Wanda D. The Effects of the COMMASH-E Intervention on the Fatigue, Sleep Quality and Functional Status of Children with Cancer in Indonesia. Compr Child Adolesc Nurs. 2019;42(sup1):197-207. doi: 10.1080/24694193.2019.1594451. PMID 31192716
- BACKGROUNDSpielman AJ, Caruso LS, Glovinsky PB. A behavioral perspective on insomnia treatment. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 1987 Dec;10(4):541-53.