Sleep Problems in Children

Sleep problems are common in childhood as we also struggle to sleep sometimes.

Sleep problems in your children may be temporary, intermittent or chronic.

Sleep problems in children are related to poor sleep habits or anxiety about going to bed and falling asleep.

Your child may have any of the following sleep problems:

• Separation Anxiety Disorder(SAD)
• Nightmares
• Night terrors
• Sleepwalking
• Bruxism or Teeth grinding
• Sleep talking
• Bedwetting

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD):

Many children feel nervous or anxiety going to bed and falling asleep because they are separated from their parents. Symptoms of separation include headache, stomachache, vomiting, nausea and crying.

Children with SAD will often have trouble sleeping in their own room and will try to sleep as close to the parent as possible. Children may also experience separation anxiety concerning only one parent or both. You must assure your child that you are there with them always.

Nightmares:

Nightmares are common during childhood. Children suddenly wake up from sleep crying and screaming. Your child may experience nightmare for a few nights but it will not last for a long time.

But nightmares are also an indication of emotional problems. If your child has a nightmare, listen attentively and lovingly, and stay with your child until he/she falls back to sleep. You have to reassure that you are there and you will protect him/her from harm.

Night terrors:

Night terrors are different than nightmares. If your child has night terrors, she often batter in her sleep and then rejects help when it is offered.

Once your child has awakened, there is no memory of what has frightened her, and often she may not even understand why you are attempting to soothe her. The best treatment for night terrors is to soothe her after she is awake.

Sleep walking:

Sleepwalking is usually harmless but it can also be dangerous because the sleepwalker can injure herself without the knowledge of what she is doing. If your child walks in sleep, it may appear as if she is awake but actually she is asleep and hurts herself.

Sleepwalking usually occurs in the first half of the sleep. If your child walks in the sleep, you need to take care of your child by closing the doors and windows properly and removing the sharp and dangerous objects in the surroundings

Bruxism (Teeth Grinding):

Bruxism affects about 14% of children between the ages of 6 and 12 and is a difficult habit to break. The severity varies depending on how frequently your child grinds the teeth.

If your child grinds the teeth and complains you about a sore jaw, you identify the damage of the teeth and help your child to relax to stop grinding the teeth. Consult a medical or dental professional immediately to minimize damage to your child’s teeth.

Sleep talking:

Sleep talking is not usually considered dangerous or harmful. While it is more common for adults to talk in their sleep than for children, some children do display this behavior. If your child has sleep talking, she often begins talking in sleep soon after she has fallen asleep.

Sometimes your child may talk while dreaming. Since sleep talking is not dangerous, there is no need to worry about your child if she talks in sleep. But make the surroundings calm to avoid sleep talking as her sleep will be disturbed due to the noise.

Bedwetting (Nocturnal Enuresis):

Nocturnal Enuresis (bed wetting) is a relatively common disorder. By the age of 3, about 60% of children will be dry through the night. If your child has nocturnal enuresis, she may feel uncomfortable with the wet clothes and unable to sleep all the night.

You be prepared with the extra clothes to immediately change her clothes whenever she wakes up from the sleep.

Your child may have physical or neurological problems with which her sleep may be disturbed. These factors are rare for a child to happen.

The physical or neurological problems include:

• Sleep apnea
• Narcolepsy
• Restless legs syndrome

Sleep Apnea:

Sleep apnea is a disorder that can affect children, but is far more common in adults. Sleep apnea occurs because of airway obstruction.

The breathing stops in intervals of 10 seconds or more (followed by loud gasps for air), sudden arousal from sleep, loud snoring, daytime fatigue and drowsiness, morning headaches, mouth breathing during sleep are the common symptoms of sleep apnea.

Narcolepsy:

It is a disorder in which a child falls asleep during the day. She may feel drowsiness in the daytime. As this disorder is biological, take a medical advice if your child is suffering from excessive sleepiness and falling asleep during the day.

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS):

The symptoms of restless leg syndrome include discomfort in the legs usually a prickly, tingling sensation. If your child is suffering from RLS, she may report that she has pain.

This discomfort may cause sleeplessness and will be awake all the night. You can make your child walk around the house, massage her legs, and offer a warm bath or shower.

What parents should do about the sleeping problems of the child?

Difficulty getting sleep, nightmares and night terrors are quite common among healthy children. They may not exist for a long time. However, for the remaining problems, you should speak with your family doctor.

Your family doctor can advise simple measures to control the sleep problems of your child. Besides all the treatments, you must assure and help your child to get out of the problems and get a good night’s sleep.