Under the Surface: A Case of Secondary Delusional Infestation With Mood-Congruent Psychotic Features in a 56-Year-Old Woman.

Sleep is critical for healthy growth and development (; ). Adequate sleep during early childhood promotes healthy weight status, academic achievement, and mental wellbeing (; ; ; ). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that children 3–5-year-olds obtain 10–13 h of sleep in a 24-h period, including naps (). More than one-third of young children do not get sufficient sleep (). Poor sleep health places children at risk for a range of metabolic conditions, including obesity and diabetes (). Establishing a regular bedtime routine and consistent sleep timing have been identified as two key practices associated with early childhood sleep health (; ; ; ). Healthy sleep is defined by duration, quality, efficiency, regularity, and circadian alignment (). In children, healthy sleep is marked by capacity for independent sleep, absent of night wakings that require parental assistance or children cannot fall back asleep, obtaining adequate sleep duration (recommended by age group), and supported by a consistent bedtime routine (; ). Communal culture among Black and other non-white populations may shape what healthy sleep looks like (). Sleep health in early childhood is influenced by the lived experiences and values of parents and other caregivers (e.g., grandparents). This may lead to the inclusion of multiple family members (e.g., mother, father, grandmother) being a part of evening routines or co-sleeping (e.g., room or bed sharing). Household structure (e.g., multi-generation housing) and context (e.g., resources) may also contribute to co-sleeping practices. Differences in sleep patterns and sleep problems are well documented in Black children (). Our study aims to begin to provide a picture of what sleep health looks like for Black families, starting with a sample of parents interviewed mostly from the New York tri-state area. Short sleep duration among Black children is 53% compared to 28% of white children (). Although there are some studies that provide information on sleep disparities prevalence rates and sleep patterns (; ), the authors call for an understanding of the underlying causes of sleep disparities, including parent beliefs about sleep, typical sleep practices, and an examination of the factors that contribute to these disparities (). In response to this call to action, qualitative data is needed to listen and learn from Black parents of young children. Our qualitative and quantitative study aimed to understand the contextual factors that affect sleep, parent beliefs about their child's sleep, typical bedtime routines and sleep practices through a qualitative and quantitative approach. Our qualitative and quantitative approach will fill this gap in the literature, and fulfill the goal of providing a contextual definition of sleep health among Black families, to secondarily inform intervention design. To this end, primary data collection began with understanding the lived experience of Black mothers during their child's evening bedtime routine.