New Delhi: Sleep is vital for healthy growth, emotional stability, and physical development. Unfortunately, between 20% and 30% of young children experience sleep disorders, which can affect their behavior and overall well-being. As parents and caregivers, understanding sleep problems and their solutions is essential to ensuring your child’s health and happiness. Dr Prashanth S Urs, Sr Consultant Neonatologist & Pediatrician, Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta, Bengaluru, spoke about how sleep disorders affect children in the long run.
Understanding Sleep Disorders in Children
- Parasomnias (Sleepwalking, Sleep Talking, and Night Terrors): Parasomnias, which include sleepwalking, sleep talking, and night terrors, are fairly common in children. These are disorders of arousal where parts of the brain remain awake while the rest of the body is asleep. Though these behaviors can be alarming, they are usually not harmful. Factors such as genetics, stress, sleep deprivation, or even conditions like sleep apnea can trigger parasomnias. Most of the time, these issues do not require medical treatment. However, making the child’s sleep environment safer and reducing potential triggers like stress or lack of sleep can help manage them.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the muscles in the upper airway relax too much during sleep, blocking airflow. This can lead to loud snoring, choking, or pauses in breathing. Children with enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or those who are overweight, are more likely to suffer from OSA. Left untreated, OSA can affect a child’s concentration, behavior, and academic performance. Treatment options include lifestyle changes, surgery, or using devices like a CPAP machine to help keep the airway open while sleeping.
- Narcolepsy: Narcolepsy is a disorder where the brain loses the ability to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Children with narcolepsy might feel well-rested after waking up, only to feel exhausted a few hours later. This leads to excessive daytime sleepiness, making it hard for children to participate in school and daily activities. In severe cases, they might experience sudden sleep attacks. Medication is usually prescribed to help manage narcolepsy.
- Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): RLS is a condition where children feel an uncontrollable urge to move their legs, particularly when at rest in the evening. It’s often described as a tingling, burning, or itching sensation, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. Moving the legs provides temporary relief, but the sensation returns once it stops. While simple lifestyle changes, like encouraging regular physical activity and reducing caffeine, can help, more severe cases may require medication. RLS is thought to be linked to low dopamine levels in the brain, or low iron, both of which play a role in controlling leg movements.
- Insomnia: Insomnia involves difficulty falling or staying asleep. Stress, anxiety, or irregular bedtime routines are common causes of insomnia in children. Younger children may rely on habits like sleeping with a parent, which can disrupt their sleep as they grow older. Older children and teens might struggle with sleep because of inconsistent schedules. A consistent bedtime routine and limiting screen time before bed can help improve sleep. If insomnia is more severe, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), which doesn’t involve medication, is an effective treatment option.
- Circadian Rhythm Disorders: Circadian rhythm disorders are common among teenagers, causing them to stay up late and sleep in late. This is known as delayed sleep phase syndrome, where the internal body clock doesn’t sync with the natural day-night cycle. As a result, it disrupts sleep and can negatively impact a child’s academic performance and social life. Treatments like light therapy, adjusting sleep habits, and sometimes melatonin supplements help realign the sleep-wake cycle.
- Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD): In children with PLMD, involuntary leg movements during sleep disrupt their rest and leave them feeling tired during the day. These movements can be subtle, but they often interfere with the deeper stages of sleep. If these movements are significant enough to affect daytime functioning, treatment may be necessary.
- Rhythmic Movement Disorder: Some children exhibit repetitive actions such as rocking, head banging, or body rolling while falling asleep. While this behavior is usually harmless and soothing, it can become problematic if it leads to injury or interferes with sleep.
- Diagnosing and Treating Sleep Disorders: Diagnosing sleep disorders begins with a physical exam and a review of your child’s sleep patterns. Parents may be asked to keep a sleep diary to track sleep habits, which can help identify issues. In certain cases, further testing may be needed, such as a polysomnogram, or sleep study. This overnight test monitors brain waves, heart rate, muscle activity, and breathing to identify underlying problems like sleep apnea.
For children with sleep disorders, a multidisciplinary approach is key. At specialized sleep centers, professionals from neurology, pulmonology, otolaryngology (ENT), and behavioral medicine work together to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses all aspects of the disorder.
The Role of Parents in Promoting Healthy Sleep
Parents play a crucial role in encouraging healthy sleep habits in children. Establishing a consistent bedtime, limiting screen time, and creating a calm, quiet sleep environment can make a big difference. For some children, behavioral interventions like relaxation exercises or sticking to a regular bedtime schedule may be necessary to improve sleep quality.
For children with sleep disorders, a multidisciplinary approach is key. At specialized sleep centers, professionals from neurology, pulmonology, otolaryngology (ENT), and behavioral medicine work together to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses all aspects of the disorder. Health Conditions Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
