List Of Sleep Disorders In Children

This overview list of sleep disorders in children includes brief definitions and gives you an idea of which sleep disorder may affect your child, toddler or baby sleeping.
This list of sleep disorders focuses on primary sleep disorders only. These are the less common, but more serious ones that truly disrupt your child's sleep.

Parasomnias: night terrors, bedwetting and sleepwalking

These so-called parasomnias are sleep disorders that can be quite annoying but are usually not too serious from a medical point of view. They pass without medical intervention in most cases or need only gentle guidance to be corrected.

Night Terrors

Night terrors or sleep terrors, also called confusional arousal, are awakenings from deep sleep, typically in the early night. The child seems wide awake but isn't, typically screams and is restless for a while before going back to sleep. Next day he/she does not remember what happened.

Bedwetting

Technically it takes a long time before children bedwetting becomes a real issue, or sleep disorder. Being dry at night is part of a child's development, and it very often happens much later than being dry during the day.

Up to the age of 6-8 years old, bedwetting usually is still normal and due to immaturity. Most kids simply outgrow it but in some cases, bedwetting solutions going from gentle guidance through medical intervention can be necessary.

Sleep Walking and Sleep Talking

A sleepwalking or sleeptalking child will be 'up' but not really awake. It is a typical thing for school-aged kids, but it can disrupt your toddler's sleep too.

In any case the main thing is to be alert to this as a parent and to make sure your sleepwalker does not get injured during his walks ....

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Sleep apnea in children

The most common type of sleep apnea in children is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). It is when the upper airways block partially or completely from time to time during sleep.

Sleep apnea in infants is usually Central Sleep Apnea, where a failed brain signal causes a breathing pause.

In either case, the short breathing halts (half) wake up the child. Baby, toddler or older child then does not get enough restful deep sleep.

This is the most common one of disruptive sleep disorders children can have, about 1 to 3 percent of children could be affected. Removal of tonsils and adenoids in surgery is the common medical treatment.

The problem with children's sleep apnea is that it often goes unnoticed. Consequences include growth disturbance and behavioural problems. That's why it is so important to spot sleep apnea as soon as possible. Double-check sleep disorder symptoms and the specific sleep apnea signs to make sure you don't miss it.

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is when sleep patterns are seriously disrupted. A narcoleptic person is extremely tired during the day, can be problematic to wake at certain times and can fall asleep suddenly, anywhere.

Luckily this is very rare in children, definitely in very young ones.

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