Every night, children and teenagers require at least 9 hours of sleep. Sleep disturbances and a lack of sleep can have a severe impact on a child’s education, extracurricular activities, and socializing. Sleep deprivation can lead to:
- Injuries and fatalities
- Problems with behavior
- Impulsive behavior
- Mood disorders
- Problems with memory, concentration, and understanding
- Problems with efficiency
- Reaction times are slower
- Overeating
Signs of Sleep Disorder in Children
If your child exhibits any of the following indicators of a sleep disorder, consult your pediatrician:
- Difficulty falling asleep
Sleep problems are characterized by difficulty falling asleep. It might be short-term, lasting a few nights, or long-term, lasting weeks in children. Also, it can hurt children’s health. It can cause concerns such as daily or chronic stress, pain, or mental health problems.
- Difficulty waking up
If a child has trouble waking up, it is apparent that the quality of his or her sleep is poor. When a youngster doesn’t want to sleep, parents should set appropriate limitations, such as allowing the child to sleep near to them.
- Snoring
Slightly more than one child in ten snores regularly. Snoring can be because of a variety of issues. This includes chronic nasal congestion, enlarged adenoids, or large tonsils that restrict the airway.
Snoring isn’t always harmful. However, it can lead to poor sleep quality and alterations in the child’s sleep-wake cycle. Daytime attentiveness is lowered as a result of restless sleep and frequent awakenings. This can result in significant mood and energy shifts. A small percentage of children who snore may have a more dangerous condition known as obstructive sleep apnea or OSA.
- Sleepwalking and Bedwetting
Some sleep habits, such as sleepwalking, bruxism, and bedwetting, are common among children. In addition, boys are more likely than girls to sleepwalk. Sleepwalking can be because of a developing central nervous system or being overtired.
It typically occurs an hour or two after the child has fallen asleep. Sleepwalking can sometimes last throughout adulthood. Because sleepwalkers can get hurt, parents should take precautions to keep their children safe.
For both girls and boys, bedwetting can last well into primary school. While bedwetting can be caused by anxiety or other emotional disorders, in the majority of children, nothing is problematic.
- Nightmares or sleep terrors
Night terrors are also known as sleep terrors. They are characterized by a child’s rapid arousal from sleep. It is accompanied by great agitation, screaming, sobbing, an elevated heart rate, and dilated pupils. Night terrors, like sleepwalking, appear to be connected to an immature central nervous system and are frequently outgrown.
Moving on, these nightmares normally begin around the age of eighteen months and end around the age of six. To avoid an injury during a night terror, make sure the child’s room is safe. It is also beneficial to maintain a regular sleep schedule and cope with stress so that the child is not restless before bedtime.
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