Over stimulation. Poor bedtime habits. Sleeplessness in young children–from toddlers to pre-teens–is a common phenomenon and easily corrected.
If, however, your child is sleepy during the day, struggling in school or having behavioral problems, it’s possible that a sleep disorder might be the cause.
Statistics show that 3 to 7 percent of children suffer from sleep disorders. As many as 3,600 children in Muscogee and Russell Counties suffer some type of sleep disorder and need help.
Warning signs include:
- Snoring or “squeaking” during sleep
- Appearing to have difficulty breathing during sleep
- Restlessness or sleeping in abnormal positions with the head in unusual positions
- Experiencing night terrors, sleep walking, or bed wetting
- Mouth breathing
- Daytime hyperactivity or being irritable, agitated, aggressive and cranky
- Having problems in school
- Difficulty in waking up in the morning
- Appearing very sleepy or actually falling asleep during the day
If you suspect your child has a sleep disorder, talk to your child’s pediatrician. She may refer you to the Infant and Pediatric Sleep Center at The Medical Center for a sleep study to determine whether your child has Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Treatment of pediatric OSA can help reverse symptoms of daytime fatigue or hyperactivity, sleep disturbance, poor concentration, and behavioral problems.
