HOW TO RECOGNIZE SLEEP DISORDERS

HOW TO RECOGNIZE SLEEP DISORDERS

 HOW TO  RECOGNIZE SLEEP DISORDERS

Sleep is necessary for children to grow and develop.  Here are some reasons why sleep is important to your child's healthy development:

  • Your baby's brain is working hard to learn and absorb all the stimulation around them.
  • Researchers found that dreaming stimulates baby's brain and so assists in it's healthy development.
  • Poor sleep in infany has been lonked to obesity.
  • Good sleep as a child also decreases the chance for general health problems and emotional difficulties like depression and anxiety (Holvoet)

 

WHAT ARE NORMAL SLEEP REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDREN BY AGE?

Although there is significant individual variation, there are well established recommendations addressing the total needed hours of sleep for children of different ages.  These totals include both continuous sleep and naps.

NEWBORNS (Birth to one month) Most infants sleep between 15-18 hours, though not all at the same time.  Some infants will manage to sleep 5 hours without interruption during the evening, but most only sleep a couple of hours before waking and feeding.

INFANTS (1 month-12 months) sleep 14-15 hours and develop an appropriate "day-night" cycle by 2 months and they require fewer and shorter sleeping periods during the day.

TODDLERS  (1-3 years) require 12-14 hours, and although they continue to benefit from daytime naps as they age, they require fewer and shorter sleeping periods during the day.

PRESCHOOLERS (3-5 years) sleep 11-12 hours, and the younger in the age range still benefit from a daytime nap.  

SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN (6-12 years) require 10-11 hours of sleep, though often preteens will sleep fewer hours. 

ADOLESCENTS (12-18 YEARS) require 8-9 hours of sleep, though given their school and extracurricular demands, in addition to social demands, they often get only 6-8 hours.  (Perlstein)

 

SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP DISORDERS

Most parents have experienced times when it is hard to get their child to settle down to bed.  However, if you are finding that your child is having a lot of difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep, it may be signs of a sleep disorder.  Here are a few questions you could ask yourself that may be signs of a possible sleep disorder:

Does your child lie in bed calling for another book to be read, song, drink, or trip to the bathroom for what seems like hours?

Does your child only sleep for about 90 minutes at a time, even at night?

Does your child complain of itchy legs at night?

Does your child snore loudly?

 

SLEEP DISORDERS

Insomnia:  Your child may have difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep.  Ask yourself if your child has had a traumatic event or problem that may be causing them difficulty sleeping.

Sleep Apnea:  Your child may be experiencing a few seconds of time when they stop breathing while sleeping.  Some symptoms may be snoring loudly and being very sleepy during the day.  If you notice these symptoms notify your pediatrician right away.

Restless Leg Syndrome:  Children may complain of itching or tickling sensations on their legs.  It is usually recognized by the urge to move the legs especially when laying down to sleep.  If your child is complaining of these symptoms see your pediatrician as there are medication and treatment to help with these symptoms. (Perlstein)

Night Terrors:  Night terrors occur in non-REM sleep and thus, generally, within the first four hours of sleep.  The child may become very violent wth thrasshing of the arms and legs while crying out in a confused manner.  Rutine comforting of the child is not helpful an ddthe chid will be confused and bewildered when awakened.  Generally, the child will rapidly return to a "normal" sleep with no memory of the events in the morning.  If this condition happens with your Pediatrician's recommendation that you do no try to awaken the child because when awakened they will have a difficult time fallling back to sleep.  Anything that upsets the normal sleep rhythms such as illness, being away from home, and disrupted naps may trigger night terrors. (Perlstein)

Sleepwalking:  Sleepwalking appears more often in boys than in girls and usualy begins in the preteen years (11-12 years old).  When a child is sleepwalking it is usually hard to wake them up.  When they do wake up, they do not remember it.  Make sure your environmet is safe.  The child may moan or even say words while they are sleepwalking.  If your child is sleepewalking make sure doors are securely locked and can't be opened by the child.  Make sure the child is getting plenty of sleep and they are not overtired. 

If your child is experiencing any of the above problems always consult your pediatrician.

 

RESOURCES

GILL, KAREN RICHARDSON, MD, FAAP.  Sleep Disorders in Children: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment. 12/20/18

Holovoet, Heidi, PHD, MBA, FAAP; Why is Sleeping Important, 9/20/18

Perlstein, David, MD,MBA, FAAP; Sleep Disorders and Sleep Disorders in Children.