Common Sleep Disorders In Children

January 12 2024 TalktoAngel 0 comments 755 Views

Both adults and children should get adequate sleep for good performance. However, often folks don't get enough sleep. It can be challenging for parents to determine if a child who has trouble sleeping is just developing normally or suffers from a sleep condition.

Sleep disorders are issues with the quality, timing, and duration of sleep, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Living with a sleep disorder causes distress and impairs one's capacity to do daily tasks.

Numerous youngsters suffer from sleep difficulties. According to a 2014 study, up to 50% of children will suffer from sleep disturbance. This study found several typical subtypes of sleep issues, including:

Obstructive sleep apnea

Sleepwalking

Confusional arousals

Sleep terrors

Nightmares

Behavioral insomnia of childhood

Delayed sleep phase disorder

Restless leg syndrome

Sleep issues in children can have an impact on the entire family. However, there are techniques to support enhancing kids' sleep. If it turns out that your child has a sleep condition, a medical expert might be able to help. Children can often need a little while to calm down before bed, but if your child seems to be struggling a lot, it may be a sleep issue.

Each of the following situations may point to a potential sleep disorder:

Your child may spend hours in bed while requesting yet another book, song, drink, or bathroom visit.

Even at night, your youngster sleeps for only around 90 minutes at a time.

At night, your youngster complains of itchy legs.

Your kid snores a lot.

Many kids may have restless evenings or have trouble falling asleep. There may be an underlying explanation if these actions persist across numerous nights.

Children who don't get enough sleep during the afternoon may also:

Seem more angry and moody

More disruptive behavior

Underperform in school compared to their regular level

If your child is getting close to their birthday and they can't stop talking about it, that's a strong sign that the excitement is too much for them to handle. A very active or hectic day without a proper sleep or rest to your child may leave your child too stimulated to fall or remain asleep adequately.Those are only short-term inconveniences that you can occasionally adapt to.Indeed, even as they close to their 6th month, your child might awaken around midnight and decline to fall back sleep except if you rock or hold them. This indicates that your youngster probably hasn't mastered nighttime self-soothing.

Children who learn to relax without needing outside help develop self-soothing. Asking a child to self-soothe is different than teaching them to do so.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is alarming because your child frequently stops breathing during sleep for intervals of 10 seconds or longer. Most of the time, your child is not aware of it.

As well as snoring loudly, sleeping with their mouth open, and being very tired during the day, your child may exhibit other symptoms. See a medical expert as soon as you can if you see this happening to your child. Learning and Behavior Problems, as well as heart complications, can result from sleep apnea. If you see the symptoms in your child, make sure to get aid.

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)

The Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation expresses that even though exploration has demonstrated the way that RLS can frequently start in adolescence, being a grown-up issue was recently accepted.

Your youngster might regularly switch positions in bed to find comfort from "the wiggles" or the sensation of an insect crawling on them. Some kids with RLS don't even realize they're uncomfortable, yet it causes them to have trouble sleeping.

There are several RLS therapies, however many of them haven't been thoroughly researched in children. For adults, it includes a prescription of medication or vitamin, supplements. Discuss what's best for you with your Child Psychologist.

Night Terrors

The entire family may be terrified by night terrors, which are more than just nightmares.

Night terrors, which are more common in children than in adults, cause a person to wake up out of a deep sleep looking frightened or agitated, frequently sobbing, yelling, and occasionally sleepwalking. Most of the time, they aren't awake, and most kids don't even recall the incident.

Night terrors typically occur about 90 minutes after a child goes to sleep, during non-REM sleep. Night terrors cannot be treated, but by following a sleep pattern and limiting overnight disruptions, you can lessen the risk that they will occur.

All humans must get enough rest to function well, but children especially need to get enough decent sleep to develop normally. You'll be doing your child a lifetime of good if you can identify a sleep disturbance early and make adjustments, or seek guidance, Online Therapy, or treatment from the best Child Psychologist.

Contribution: Dr (Prof) R K Suri, Clinical Psychologist, life coach & mentor TalktoAngel & Ms Aditi Bhardwaj, Psychologist