Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders are also common in childhood. Many children struggle around bedtime and have difficulty falling asleep. Parents may use nightlight or special toy to help them fall asleep.
It may be a result of parental anxiety or strife, fear of thunders and lightnings, noise and or may be because of separation anxiety when they start to sleep in their own bedrooms.
Narcolepsy is a disorder causing frequent daytime naps and cataplexy , sleep paralysis and or hypnogogic hallucinations. Children with this disorder must be assessed further to identify the cause of the problem.
Night terrors usually begin in the preschool years and occur with non REM sleep usually at the beginning of the sleep cycle. The child will appear confused and disoriented and frightened. This is self-limited and may be related to a specific developmental conflict or to a precipitating traumatic.
They may also have nightmares. These anxiety dreams may occur during rapid eye movement sleep. The child will be awakened from sleep then becoms lucid quickly and will remember the dream.
This is more common among girls and usually begins before the age of 10. This is more common in children with anxiety and affective disorders.
Sleepwalking occurs during stage 3 or 4 of the sleep cycle and this is common in 10-15% of school-aged children.
This disorder is more associated with nocturnal enuresis. Childhood sleepwalking is usually benign in regard to psychopathologic conditions. Therapy is usually supportive.
In general, the treatment of sleep disorders in the pediatric age group is on parental support, reassurance and encouragement.
Parents should avoid angry threats. They must be calm and understanding. Bedtime should be regular, with avoidance of televisions or computers that may disrupt sleep.
Children may have warm bath and warm milk and a quiet affectionate moment with parents prior to sleep.