| Sleep disorders in children are more common | | | | are often very scary and stressful for |
| than is realized by most people, in fact | | | | everyone, including the child and parents, |
| around 42% of children in the US suffer from | | | | and needs medical treatment to get it under |
| sleep disorders in one form or another. For | | | | control. Also, sleep apnea can attack |
| instance sleep apnea is recognized as a | | | | children, including premature newborns and |
| common disorder amongst children of all age | | | | also, the elderly. |
| groups, with the most affected being the 3 to | | | | |
| 6 years old. Figures show that in the US | | | | * Yet another problem is heartburn which can |
| there are between 1.4 to 2 million children | | | | be dangerous and although not seen as a sleep |
| who suffer from sleep apnea alone. | | | | disorder can often run along side some of the |
| | | | common sleep disorders in children. The |
| Some different sleep disorders in children, | | | | danger arises in the sleeping children when |
| including sleepwalking and bruxism: | | | | stomach acids regurgitates into the throat, |
| | | | whilst this can be due to an underlying |
| * One common sleep disorder in children is | | | | medical problem it can also be eating food to |
| sleepwalking also known as somnambulism, this | | | | close to bed time. |
| is generally harmless if special care is | | | | |
| taken to provide a safe sleeping environment. | | | | RLS, also known as restless leg syndrome is |
| Sleeping children can some times be heard | | | | also a disorder that children can suffer from |
| talking in their sleep or sleep with their | | | | which is very stressful and irritating, this |
| eyes open, and strange as these disorders | | | | ailment can help to bring on nightmares, |
| seem, will not harm the child most of the | | | | sleepwalking and insomnia. |
| time. | | | | |
| | | | A few of the sleep problems mentioned above |
| * Sleep disorders in children may also take | | | | can cause or lead to ALTE which is another |
| the form of Bruxism which is a destructive | | | | name for Apparent Life Threatening Event, |
| habit of grinding and gnashing the teeth | | | | which is where a child looks lifeless, limp |
| while they are asleep, this can be a very | | | | and pale in color. With this particular sleep |
| disturbing disorder that can also cause | | | | problem it will be quite hard to wake the |
| dental problems. Children also often bang | | | | child and once awake they may be very |
| their heads or roll their heads, this usually | | | | listless, this is not a very nice experience |
| happens when they are about to fall asleep. | | | | for all involved. |
| Again this is another sleep disorder that is | | | | |
| usually harmless and they will soon outgrow | | | | However, the most scary and probably the |
| it, before becoming teenagers. | | | | least understood of the sleep disorders in |
| | | | children is SIDS or Sudden Infant Death |
| * Other sleep disorders in children include | | | | Syndrome, unfortunately there aren't many if |
| nocturnal asthma and nocturnal seizures that | | | | any treatments available for this disorder. |