Treating Childhood Insomnia

Treating Childhood Insomnia

Treating Childhood Insomnia

Insomnia can also happen in childhood. Here are some ways where you can prevent and treat it.

Insomnia is a condition is not only seen in adults but in children as well. Children who suffer from insomnia might have slept through the night but the problem lies with the quality of sleep. They might wake up still tired and listless. This can affect their school performance as well as relation with other children and play attitude.

If you are concerned about this, there are certain signs you should watch out for in your child. Children who are unable to get a good night's sleep are mostly sleepy during daytime. They are also irritable and moody towards people around him. His attention may not be fully on tasks and lessons as he is sleepy and his mind keeps wandering. You might notice hyperactivity, in order to compensate for the sleepiness that he feels. He might also have some lapses in memory also due to lack of attention and sleepiness.

There are causes for insomnia in children. These should be avoided and looked into. Remember that children need 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. If your child has poor sleep habits, correct this as early as possible so that proper sleeping habits will be developed.

Avoid drinking carbonated and caffeinated drinks especially a few hours before bedtime. Children are more sensitive to these products compared to adults so the effect is more profound and more prolonged.

If your child is being treated with steroids, anticonvulsants or antidepressants, or if he is being treated for ADHD, these can affect your child's sleeping pattern. Consult your doctor about the best thing to do about this. Your pediatrician may prescribe a sleeping agent or recommend some exercises that induce sleep. Diseases that cause discomfort like pain, itching, or difficulty of breathing also cause sleep disturbance. These need to be treated as well.

The first thing you need to do to help your child is to consult your pediatrician to know if there are underlying medical conditions like sleep apnea syndrome or skin disorder that causes itchiness. Then they should be treated as soon as possible. If there are no underlying problems, then try using non-drug remedies to prevent side effects.

First thing is to establish a bedtime, and have it followed regularly. This way the child will be conditioned to sleep at this time. Restrict the use of bed for sleeping. This is also part of conditioning so that the bed is associated with sleeping and no other activities. That way he knows that when he is in bed, he is supposed to sleep. Also set a time for waking up. Get the child used to a set routine.

Have a ritual or any activity that will initiate sleep. This can come in the form of bedtime stories or bedtime prayers and saying goodnight. This will give the body time to relax and prepare for sleeping. Establishing a habit that the child can adapt to is important to avoid as well as deal with insomnia and also to strengthen your ties with your children.

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