Dental Care

About Sleep Disorders in Children

Is getting proper sleep for your children a concern to you? As parents we experience sleep disorders - often attributed to life issues that are unresolved and thus affecting mental processes.  But we have to be aware too that more and more children are experiencing sleep disorders at some point during their childhood. Current research shows an estimated 30% of children who experienced such problems. One out of every four children experience short-term or long-term problems in sleeping.  If your child is one of them, it might be best to seek out ways to establish regularity in your child’s sleeping patterns before the problem interferes with his/her mental and physical development.  There is no need to panic, as treatment can be made available depending on the child’s age and condition.

It would be best to develop a good sleeping habit for your child.  Before doing so, you should understand the reason treating sleep disorders in children should be a big concern.

Most of the children who are deprived of having the recommended number of sleeping hours according to their age do not perform well academically and socially in school. Also, they are more likely to get ill than others who have no such problems.  Their behavior often becomes affected too. That is why a parent should determine the child’s sleeping pattern.

A parent may find it difficult to establish an exact pattern for the child’s sleeping habits. How old your child is should be considered, too. If your child is an infant, you must be aware that it is common among newborns to have irregular sleep cycles as they easily get distracted by internal and external conditions.  An infant could even sleep 16 to 17 hours per days, but not continuously most of the time. 

As a child grows up, he should be able to fall asleep in less total time but sleep for longer periods.  Ten to twelve hours daily is normal among preschool-age children.  When your child reaches elementary school, he may get as much as ten hours of sleep nightly until it develops into shorter sleeping hours.  It should be noted that a slight variation from the above-mentioned indications is okay; however, if there is a big difference, you might consider it a warning sign.

Other warning signs may be found in the child’s development and behavior.  Sometimes, an intelligent child may stop doing well in academics and other school activities.  He starts to be irksome and always physically tired.

Nighttime sleep problems come in different forms.  Sleepwalking, sleep disruption, and difficulty of merely getting to sleep are indications.  Some kids who have problems sleeping may wet their beds. 

What you can do is to make sleeping enjoyable for your child.  Have fun rituals that may include storytelling, prayers, brushing, and bathing.  Stay by your child’s side until he’s asleep if he often experiences nightmares. You should note, however, that your child should be able to get used to sleeping in his own bed.  Tell your child what sleep can for his body and be a good example by developing a healthy and regular sleep cycle yourself. If the sleep disorder in your child persists, it might be best to seek out the help of a sleep specialist.  There might be unrecognized causes such as anxiety and depression.