Nothing stresses a mother or a caregiver more than seeing a child who cannot sleep well. Good sleep is a sign that the baby is fine, and anything short of that may indicate ill health. The sleeping disorders may be because of many reasons that can result in other health complications. Due to the many concerns raised by many parents, the Glendale pediatric sleep disorders have been researched extensively to try and come out with signs and possible remedies to sleeping disorders.
What are the signs of pediatric sleep disorder?
- Insomnia. It is a sleeping disorder characterized by a child who refuses to fall asleep without a toy or the presence of a caregiver.
- Obstructive sleep apnea. Apnea interferes with sleep due to breathing problems from enlarged tonsils, cleft palate, or neuromuscular disorders.
- Parasomnias. It occurs when a child has sleep terrors and hallucinations from past experiences.
- Movement disorders. Some neurological conditions like restless leg syndrome and periodic limb movement cause an unpleasant sensation on the legs, especially at night, thus interfering with sleep.
- Delayed sleep phase disorder. Experienced mainly by adolescents who cannot have good sleeping patterns.
- Side effects of some medications. The medical conditions may put him under some medication that may interfere with his sleeping.
- Use of caffeine at night. Beverages containing a large amount of caffeine may disrupt sleep in children.
- Behavioral insomnia of childhood. Behavioral disorders like autism, mental health disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity can significantly affect sleep.
What to do if the child is not sleeping
They are eliminating bedtime fears and anxieties. Some children have a deep fear of darkness, while others may experience nightmares, especially if they have watched scary movies. The parent should listen to the child’s fears and try to reassure them of their safety during sleep.
Ensure the bedroom is comfortable. There shouldn’t be too many toys around as they may disrupt sleep, and should avoid the noise as much as possible.
Ensure the child is whole when going to sleep. Hunger may interfere with sleep, and also being too full may lead to discomfort during sleeping.
Ensuring the bed is only used for sleeping and not doing assignments from there, they associate the bed with sleeping.
Having a routine sleeping program. Creating a routine timetable like reading storybooks and bathing will relax the baby, thus better sleep.
They had quality time together. Kids may be awake during late hours to compensate for the time the parents were away, so creating time together can do away with the sleep disorder.
They are exercising enough. When a child does regular exercise, like after-dinner play, they fall asleep quickly.
Discourage the use of electronics in bedrooms. The light emitted by electronics such as televisions, mobile phones, and video games can make it difficult for children to fall asleep.
Lack of sleep brings effects like behavioral problems, accidents and injuries, poor memory and low concentration span for those in schools, overeating, and impulsive behaviors, to mention a few. A parent can consult a pediatrician for further advice on the remedy to the sleeping disorder. The Sonoran sleeping center is a one-stop clinic for all sleeping disorders, and one can walk into their clinics to book or write them an email.
