Sleeping Disorders In Children And How They Are Treated
Sleeping disorders in children are one of the common concerns of the parents of school age children. Children need at least 9 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep can affect a child's performance in school and in their extracurricular activities negatively. In addition, a child who wakes up frequently at night or goes to bed unwillingly can be cranky, irritable, and disruptive to a family. Physicians and psychologist estimate that about 30% of children may have sleeping disorders at some point during childhood.
Signs of sleeping disorders can include difficulty in staying awake during the day, unexplained decrease in daytime activity performance, difficulty with sleeping through the night and snoring. Parents and educators who notice these signs in a child's behavior must immediately seek assistance from a child psychologist or doctor. Sleeping disorders in children can not only cause concentration, learning, performance and behavior problems; they can lead to accidents and injuries.
There are different types of sleep disorders and these call for different treatments. The common types would include the following:
Night time bed wetting is a common sleep problem in children ages 6-12. It can be associated with families that have a history of the problem. It may not be a signal of a serious problem but may be a symptom of emotional stress. Intervention can include reinforcement and responsibility training. If it has been determined that stress is causing the problem, providing counseling to address the issues may help alleviate the bed wetting.
Sleep walking is common among 8–12 year olds. Typically, the child may sit up in bed with eyes open but not see and may walk through the house. Children outgrow sleep walking by adolescence. In cases like this, precautions should be taken by letting the child occupy a bedroom on the first floor. Awakening the child regularly at certain times can minimize if not eliminate occurrences.
Night terrors are sudden emotional outbursts, fear, and motor activity. It occurs among children ages 4-8 while asleep. The child may have no recollection of the night terror. It may not be necessary to wake the child who experiences night terrors, just ensure that he or she is comfortable. In extreme cases, medical intervention may be needed.
The following tips are recommended for treating sleeping disorders in children. A regular bed and waking up time should be established for the child that should not significantly vary from weekday to weekend. He or she should not be given any food and drinks with caffeine six hours before bedtime. Large meals close to bedtime should be avoided. Infants and children should be put to bed when they already appear tired even while still awake rather than allowing them to fall asleep in the parent's arms. Ensure that the noise levels in the house are low when it is time for the child to go to bed.
Signs of sleeping disorders can include difficulty in staying awake during the day, unexplained decrease in daytime activity performance, difficulty with sleeping through the night and snoring. Parents and educators who notice these signs in a child's behavior must immediately seek assistance from a child psychologist or doctor. Sleeping disorders in children can not only cause concentration, learning, performance and behavior problems; they can lead to accidents and injuries.
There are different types of sleep disorders and these call for different treatments. The common types would include the following:
Night time bed wetting is a common sleep problem in children ages 6-12. It can be associated with families that have a history of the problem. It may not be a signal of a serious problem but may be a symptom of emotional stress. Intervention can include reinforcement and responsibility training. If it has been determined that stress is causing the problem, providing counseling to address the issues may help alleviate the bed wetting.
Sleep walking is common among 8–12 year olds. Typically, the child may sit up in bed with eyes open but not see and may walk through the house. Children outgrow sleep walking by adolescence. In cases like this, precautions should be taken by letting the child occupy a bedroom on the first floor. Awakening the child regularly at certain times can minimize if not eliminate occurrences.
Night terrors are sudden emotional outbursts, fear, and motor activity. It occurs among children ages 4-8 while asleep. The child may have no recollection of the night terror. It may not be necessary to wake the child who experiences night terrors, just ensure that he or she is comfortable. In extreme cases, medical intervention may be needed.
The following tips are recommended for treating sleeping disorders in children. A regular bed and waking up time should be established for the child that should not significantly vary from weekday to weekend. He or she should not be given any food and drinks with caffeine six hours before bedtime. Large meals close to bedtime should be avoided. Infants and children should be put to bed when they already appear tired even while still awake rather than allowing them to fall asleep in the parent's arms. Ensure that the noise levels in the house are low when it is time for the child to go to bed.
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