Children and Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders affect children more commonly than many people realize. In fact, millions of children in the United States currently suffer from some type of sleep disorder.
 
 
Children on average need more sleep than adults to remain healthy. Here is an outline of the amount of sleep kids of different ages need each night to be rested and stay healthy:
  • children under 6 years old: 10 to 13 hours of sleep
  • children ages 6 to 9: about 10 hours of sleep
  • pre-teens and teenagers: about 8 to 9.5 hours of sleep (though many do not sleep as long as necessary).
When children and teens don't get enough sleep, they can become irritable and extremely moody. In some cases, younger children may wake frequently in the night if they don't have a healthy and regular sleep routine.
 
To reduce sleep problems and to ensure that children and teens get enough sleep, these tips may help:
  • Allow for a period of winding down before bed.
  • Allow your child to choose his or her own pajamas. For younger children, allow them to choose a stuffed animal to take to bed.
  • Allow your teen to set his or her own bedtime, provided that it allows for enough hours of sleep.
  • Do not give your child a bottle to take to bed, as this can be bad for small children's teeth and can turn into a bad habit.
  • If your child dislikes silence, play soft music until he or she is asleep.
  • Stick to a regular bedtime, both on weekends and during the week.
  • Tuck your child in to help him or her feel more secure.
While these tips can help your child or teen sleep better, some children may still experience sleep disorders. Two of the most common sleep disorders in children include bedwetting and night terrors.
 
In this section, we'll discuss all aspects of sleep disorders in children. We'll also discuss teen sleep patterns.

Bedwetting

Bedwetting, also known as sleep wetting or enuresis, is a very common sleep disorder in children and teens. Many people don't realize that bedwetting is usually an inherited sleep disorder, meaning a child will likely wet the bed if someone in his immediate family has also suffered from this sleep problem.
 
Bedwetting cannot usually be helped because most kids don't realize they are even doing it. In most cases, no treatment is necessary, and kids will eventually stop bedwetting.

Night Terrors

Night terrors are a relatively rare childhood sleep disorder, affecting about 3 to 6 percent of all children.
 
Night terrors are much like nightmares, though they are much more severe. Children with night terrors often cannot be consoled, and parents may become frightened at their children's behavior. Unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during non-REM sleep and are not really dreams.
 
A sudden feeling or reaction of fear grips children suffering from night terrors.

Teen Sleep Patterns

While teens require less sleep than younger children, they still need to get between 8 to 9.5 hours of sleep every night. However, the dramatic physical changes caused by adolescence tend to make teens want to stay up later and get up later, which usually prevents them from getting the sleep they need. Similarly, the demands of school and other activities can also prevent teens from sleeping enough.
 
When teens don't get enough sleep, they will likely suffer from anxiety, irritability and stress. As a result, having regular sleep and wake times can help ensure that they establish healthy teen sleep patterns.
 
Resources
 
Nemours Foundation (2007). All About Sleep. Retrieved January 14, 2008, from the Kids' Health Web site: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sleep.html.
 
Nemours Foundation (2007). Bedwetting. Retrieved January 14, 2008, from the Kids' Health Web site: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bladder/
enuresis.html.
 
Nemours Foundation (2007). Night Terrors. Retrieved January 14, 2008, from the Kids' Health Web site: http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sleep/terrors.html.