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The Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents (ESS-CHAD) — Janssen KC, Phillipson S, O'Connor J, Johns MW, "Validation of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale for Children and Adolescents (ESS-CHAD)", Sleep Medicine, 2017 — uses the same 0-3 scoring and 0-24 total as the adult Epworth Sleepiness Scale, with situation wording adapted for children and adolescents. This is a self/parent-report screening tool, not a diagnosis — a doctor or pediatric sleep specialist should be consulted for an actual evaluation.
How it works
Rate the child or adolescent's chance of dozing off in each of the 8 pediatric-adapted situations (0 = would never doze, 3 = high chance of dozing). The tool sums all 8 scores and classifies the total.
- Enter 1. Watching TV.
- Enter 2. Reading.
- Enter 3. Sitting, not doing much, in a public place (e.g., in a classroom, a meeting, or place of worship).
- Enter 4. Riding in a car for 30 minutes without talking to the driver.
- Enter 5. Lying down to rest in the afternoon.
- Enter 6. Sitting and talking to someone.
- Enter 7. Sitting quietly after lunch, without alcohol.
- Enter 8. Riding in a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic.
- Click Calculate to see your results.
Examples
A total score of 8
Falls in the "normal" band (below 10).
Who should use it
- Screening for excessive daytime sleepiness in children and adolescents.
- Tracking sleepiness trends over time in a pediatric context.
Industry applications
- Pediatric sleep medicine
- School health screening
Advantages
- Uses a validated, published pediatric-adapted questionnaire.
- Quick to complete — just 8 questions.
Limitations
- A self/parent-report tool, subject to interpretation.
- Not a substitute for a clinical pediatric sleep evaluation.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating a high score as a diagnosis rather than a signal to discuss with a pediatrician or sleep specialist.
- Answering based on one unusual night rather than the child's typical recent pattern.
Best practices
- Answer based on the child's usual, typical recent experience, not a single unusual day.
Tips
- If a child's score is consistently elevated, discuss it with a pediatrician, since causes range from insufficient sleep duration to underlying sleep disorders.