SLEEP DISORDERS IN KIDS
Guss Hansen - Monday, August 26, 2019 Monday, August 26, 2019
SYMPTOMS OR SIGNS OF SLEEP DISORDERS IN KIDS
HOW TO PREVENT POOR SLEEP HABITS AND GET A BETTER SLEEP HYGIENE
NIGHTMARES
SLEEPWALKING IN KIDS TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR KID’S SLEEP
It is very common for kids to possess some issues sleeping. Basically, people who have made research on this have discovered that between one quarter and one half of all 1-5 year olds grow some form of sleep issue.
These issues are most commonly described as dyssomnias, associated to night walking, delayed sleep onset and bedtime resistance. These three listed are basically issues or disorders that can be featured by a disturbance in the quality, amount, and timing of sleep. These issues are often resolved, nevertheless, it is well established that if signs persist, they can grow into a disorder which probably need an intervention to reverse the trends.
Kids and adolescents will need at least 9 hours of sleep each night to perform well the following day. Sleep loss or a lack of sleep in kids can have a negative impact especially in performance in school, extracurricular activities and in social relationships.
Sleep loss may result to the following listed below;
Sleep loss may result to the following listed below;
• Behaviour issues
• Accidents and injuries
• Mood issues
• Overeating
• Slower reaction times
• Poor performance and
• Memory, concentration as well as learning problems.
Discuss this to your doctor or paediatrician supposing that your kid exhibits any of the following symptoms of a sleep disorder;
• Snoring
• Breathing pauses when asleep
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Reduced daytime performance with no explanation
• Uncommon events during sleep especially nightmares and sleep walking and
• Issues with sleeping through the night.
Though there is significant individual variation, there are proven recommendations stating the total needed hours of sleep for kids of different ages. These totals include both naps and contiguous sleep.
• Newborns (less than a month) – kids of this age are required to sleep between 15 to 18 hours per day.
• Infants (1 month to 12 months) – kids of this age are required to sleep between 14 to 15 hours per day.
• Toddlers (1 to 3 years) – kids of this age are required to sleep between 12 to 14 hours per day, though they are expected to sleep for a shorter period during the day.
• Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) – kids of this age are required to sleep between 11 to 12 hours every day.
• School aged kids (6 to 12 years) – kids of this age are required to sleep between 10 to 11 hours per day.
• Adolescents (12 to 18 years) – kids of this age are required to sleep between 8 to 9 hours per day, though given their extracurricular demands, also their social demands, they usually get only 6 to 8 hours per day.
Sleep hygiene is known as the foundation of a healthy sleep across all ages. In addition, poor sleep hygiene is the major contributor to most behaviourally based sleep issues and signs like nightmares and difficulty while sleeping may be a reflection of poor sleep hygiene. Regular practices which encourage good sleep hygiene can be listed below as follows;
• Develop regular and constant as well as age appropriate sleep and wake schedules including reducing naps for kids that are older
• Also, establish constant routines around bedtime like telling a story or reading a book. It is very important to reduce these activities to less than half an hour each night
• Keep a comfortable and relaxed sleep environment. In addition, keep the bedroom temperature cool and remove any noise that could cause distraction like televisions, cell phones and computers and
• Remove caffeinated products, particularly during in the evening.
Nightmares usually occur during REM sleep and are often common in the night. The kid becomes afraid and will be able to remember the dream he had. In contrast, nightmares occur in non-REM sleep and therefore, generally within the first 4 hours of sleep.
In most cases, the kid may become violent and crying out in a confused manner. Routine comforting of the kid is not supporting at all, rather the kid will become more confused and bewildered when awakened. In general terms, the kid will speedily return to a normal sleep without any memory of the events in the morning.
Nightmares tend to possess an acute onset with a speed growth of thrashing and yelling though commonly for adults. Both conditions share numerous points that adults should consider when they engage in either situation.
• Do not make any attempt to wake the kid. They are asleep and if woken up, they will have a hard time falling back to sleep.
• Anything that provokes the ordinary sleep rhythms, for example, illness, staying away from home and impeded naps may trigger either pattern.
Sleepwalking occurs in growing kids. The male kids are more likely than the female kids to sleepwalk, with the highest prevalence in the preteen years (11 to 12 years). The overall incidence of sleepwalking in kids is approximately 18 percent. Similar to nightmares, the kid is difficult to arouse during the event and forgets the experience.
Most of sleepwalkers may mumble during sleepwalking and occasionally utter some words. In this situation, medications are rarely necessary to mange sleepwalking episodes. Making sure a protected environment and securing doors to prevent walking out of the house, also preventing sleep deprivation are significant considerations.
• Ensure that the temperature in the bedroom is cool and quite dark.
• Eliminate any kind of noise in the kid’s room.
• Prevent giving kids large meals close to bedtime.
• Design a relaxing bedtime routine like telling a story or giving your kid a warm bath
• There should be no TV, computer, cell phone or music playing while your kid is going to sleep
• Kids should be put to bed when they look tired but still awake.
