Sleep disorders in children: how to recognise and handle them

Sleep has long been recognised as an active process by the scientific community, contrary to the popular belief of it being a period of inactivity. Sleep disorders in children have ramifications in three aspects: the sleep disorder in itself and the distress due to it; the long-term impacts it has on the child’s or adolescent’s academics, schooling, physical activity, emotional regulation, risk-taking behaviour and effect on comorbid illnesses which could be physical or mental and the impact of family behaviour on the child’s sleep and vice- versa. Crucially, parental stress related to the behavioural problems in sleep-deprived children can affect their mental and/or physical well being There are two main types of sleep disorders: primary sleep disorders and secondary sleep disorders, which have consequences of physical or mental illnesses or drug abuse. Insomnia can present in the form of difficulty in falling asleep, bedtime resistance, frequent nighttime awakenings, imposed sleep restrictions, unrefreshed sleep and /or poor sleep hygiene persisting over three months The risk factors for insomnia include: predisposition to mental or physical illnesses; stressors like difficult home or family situations, safety concerns or domestic abuse; poor limit-setting by parents which may cause bedtime stalling or refusal; environmental factors like cramped sleeping conditions, lack of a conducive temperature; sleep difficulties or poor sleep hygiene in parents and excessive use of technology especially in the form of screens Strategies that can be implemented by family members to help the child with insomnia include identifying the stressors; try to eliminate or alleviate them and initiate good sleep habits. Sleep disorders secondary to medical conditions Many physical conditions have profound effects on children’s sleep.