Sleep Problems

Hi Rose here....just talked to my sister Apnea. Her son Batboy has sleep problems, he is;

• Frequent awakening during the night
• Talking during sleep
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Waking up crying
• Feeling sleepy during the day
• Having nightmares; or
• Bedwetting
• Teeth grinding and clenching
• Waking early

Now we know that Batboy, like many other children, have sleeping problems that are related to poor sleeping habits or anxiety about going to bed and falling asleep. But we also found that persistent sleep problems may also be symptoms of emotional difficulties or growing pains in the extremities, especially in their legs causing them to wake up. Batboy also wakes up in the middle of the day and joins Apnea and her husband in their coffin, which is signs of ‘separation anxiety’. For all young children bedtime is a time of separation from their parents and some children will do anything to prevent this. (maybe even wet their coffin?)

Setting up a consistent regular sleep routine can minimize common sleep problems and parents often find that feeding or rocking a child will help them fall asleep. However, as the child gets older parents should be encouraged to get their children asleep without these methods; otherwise, they will have a hard time getting to sleep alone.

Sometimes a child will awaken from a nightmare. Nightmares usually involve scary images, being chased or any major threat to their well-being. Nightmares begin at various ages and often affect girls more than boys. As the child ages nightmares are remembered and can be serious, frequent and interfere with their sleep.

Nightmares that are not remembered are considered sleep terrors and along with sleepwalking and sleep talking constitutes a rare group of children sleep problems called ‘parasomnias’. Sleep terrors will cause the child to scream uncontrollably, appear to be awake, are confused and can’t communicate, while sleepwalking the child appears to be awake but isn’t and they are in danger of hurting themselves. So if your child suffers from this condition then the first thing that you should do is shift the room of your child to a safer place where there are no stairs. All windows and doors of the house should be firmly locked. Parents should never intervene sleepwalking by shaking, shouting or slapping the child.

Both sleep terrors and sleepwalking run in families and affect boys more than girls. Most often these child sleep problems are only on occasion, but when these episodes are more frequent and interfere with their sleep as well as the child’s daytime behavior treatment with an adolescent psychiatrist may be necessary.

Fortunately, as the child ages, they usually outgrow common sleep problems in children as well as the more serious parasomnias sleep disorders.

Other sleep problems in toddlers are bedwetting as in Batboys case, insomnia, snoring and even faking sleep. If you are considering taking your child to a doctor to solve your child’s sleep problems keep a diary of the time when he/she gets up and the reason why.

The doctor will diagnose the child’s sleep problem and treat it accordingly. There is a difference in diagnosing baby sleep problems and toddler sleep problems. Sleep problems in toddlers that are fewer concerns are bedwetting and sleepwalking, but those with obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia and narcolepsy need medical attention and testing. Untreated sleep disorders can impact the child’s lives, growth, learning, attention span, mood and daily activities.

A pediatrician should ask about the child’s sleep routine at during every well-child visit to see if there is a potential sleep problem. Since some infant sleep problems are never outgrown effective treatments are prescribed or even the removal of tonsils or adenoids for obstructive sleep apnea.

Some child will undergo a sleep study in which the brain waves are monitored during sleep as well as snoring, gasping and signs of apnea. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that all children who show signs of snoring to be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea.

Luckily for Batboy he will outgrow his sleep problems, but in the meantime my sister Apnea is keeping a sleep diary and keeping a consistent daytime routine which includes going to the bathroom before going to his coffin.