Sleep disorders in children
Sleep disorders in children occur in every phase of childhood and usually have psychological causes. The term summarizes problems falling asleep and sleeping through the night.
What are sleep disorders in children?
Insomnia in children doesn’t spare almost anyone. In most children, however, they are only temporary or occur on individual days for understandable reasons. This includes problems falling asleep and staying asleep. This means that the child cannot fall asleep at first, is not tired or, despite being tired, cannot find its way to the beat. If the child falls asleep, he or she will not sleep through the night.
It suffers from nightmares, wakes up in the middle of the night before it is time to get up and cannot go back to sleep. Sleep disorders in children are just as serious as in adults – but all the more so in childhood, since they can indicate serious mental problems and also rob the child of the vital sleep that it still needs for a wide variety of growth and development processes. In the case of longer-lasting sleep disorders in children, the cause should therefore be investigated, since the reason itself may need to be treated.
causes
Sleep disorders in children are almost mainly due to mental processes. They are unavoidable during some development phases, since the children have a lot to cope with psychologically. Exam stress at school, falling in love for the first time, an argument with a friend or even grief over a pet that has passed away can lead to sleep disorders in sensitive children. But all of this is mastered over time or the children learn to solve the problem themselves and grow from it.
It is more difficult when a child is confronted with psychological stress that it cannot cope with itself, such as illnesses in the family, separation of parents, bullying at school or great fears . In the case of the latter, it also plays a role to what extent the child is put into this anxious situation by its surroundings and most likely by its parents. If the class goal is not achieved and it is possible that it is not promoted, it will become afraid if the parents do not accept it and put pressure on it – and this can lead to considerable sleep disorders in children.
Diseases
- whooping cough
- developmental disabilities in children
When to the doctor?
As a rule, sleep disorders in children are relatively rare and therefore uncommon. In most cases, sleep disorders in children have a psychological cause and therefore cannot be treated directly with medication. In all cases, a doctor should be consulted. Sleep is extremely important for children as it contributes to the growth and development of the brain . Failure to get adequate sleep can lead to problems with the brain and other organs. For this reason, parents should definitely consult a doctor if their children are suffering from insomnia.
It is not uncommon for sleep disorders to appear after certain events or scary moments. This is relatively common in children. There is no need to see a doctor here. It is often enough if the parents are with the child before it goes to sleep and wait until it has fallen asleep. Nightmares and mental problems that lead to the insomnia should always be treated by a psychologist. This also prevents these psychological problems from developing into more serious problems.
diagnosis and course
Harmless sleep disorders in children can come and go, but they don’t last long. It is one or a few nights when the child has trouble falling asleep or not sleeping properly. Then the sleeping rhythm normalizes itself . Sleep disorders in children become a concern if they occur regularly or at least frequently. A child usually survives a good night’s sleep. However, if sleep disorders in children are permanent, the children do not get enough sleep in the morning, cannot concentrate at school and develop other similar difficulties. Such sleep disorders in children usually no longer normalize themselves.
complications
Sleep disorders in children affect the body in a similar way and can lead to various problems and complications. As a rule, sleep disorders in children mainly lead to concentration difficulties and lack of sleep. This is relatively dangerous, especially for children, since they have to pay attention at school. The risk of an accident is also increased if the child is not rested and cannot concentrate on an activity. Children need more sleep than adults. Sleep disorders in children also lead to a weakened immune system. As a result, these children get sick more often and complain of other ailments such as headaches, nausea, or a general feeling of weakness.
Sleep disorders in children should be treated immediately. In the case of a psychological cause, a visit to a psychologist is suitable. As a rule, however, it takes several weeks before the sleep disorders can be combated. The sleep disorders can also be treated with medication, although these should not be used over a long period of time. In many cases, however, the sleep problems can be resolved and do not lead to long-term complications.
treatment and therapy
Research into the causes of sleep disorders in children is the method of choice. If the sleep problems are no longer one-time problems that go away on their own and don’t need treatment, then there is a cause behind the problem – if left unsolved, the child’s sleep problems will not go away easily. For this reason, the affected child is first examined physically, whereby no precise suspicion is usually pursued here – unless there are physical symptoms accompanying the sleep disorders in the child that indicate an organic cause.
If the child is healthy, the child psychologist is then called in, who first finds out why the sleep disorders are occurring. With children, a lot happens very unconsciously and subconsciously, so that the child psychologist cannot work like an adult who may have already thought about the causes themselves. In this context, it is also important for the parents to give their opinion on sleep disorders in children, because sometimes the parents already suspect where the problem lies. Together with them, the child psychologist will then try to solve the problem.
prevention
Ideally, a child will not be exposed to any major psychological stress that it cannot cope with. Unfortunately, this cannot always be controlled, for example when a loved one dies. Sleep disorders in children should therefore be recognized as such at an early stage so that the child can be helped. The sooner they get professional help in an emergency, the easier it is to get rid of sleep disorders in children.If parents notice that their children are stressed , unhappy, or withdrawn, they should at least offer to talk to them. Even if the kids don’t accept it right away, if they know they can approach someone they trust without causing (more) stress, they might do so before children have trouble sleeping.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.