Is your kid not sleeping well lately? There are chances that they might be suffering from sleep-related issues such as insomnia. Sleep is a crucial part of a child’s overall development, due to which children require more sleep than adults. Insomnia in children is an ever-growing issue, and there are chances that your lifestyle choices can interfere with your child’s sleep.
Sleep is a significant factor that allows our body to function correctly. It helps to repair our body and recharges it so that you can work properly on the following day. Sleep is essential for mental health too. It allows you to have better cognitive abilities and helps you or your child in every aspect of life.
Lack of sleep can affect your child’s life in every way; studies have also found out that if your child is not sleeping well at an early age, the chances of getting depression and anxiety is very much increase. Therefore you should not take sleep lightly and consult your doctor if you see the symptoms mentioned below.
These are some of the symptoms that can occur if your child is not sleeping well. You can check your kid to see whether they have any such signs that help you identify the problem. Children who have insomnia may have:
- Not able to fall asleep
- Snoring
- Unable to fall asleep once I woke up
- Mental or mood disorders like depression
- Unable to concentrate
- Interrupted sleep
- If they wake up early in the morning
- Resist going to sleep
- Wake up screaming and crying because of nightmares
- Worry about the nighttime.
- Drowsiness or tiredness during the day
These are some of the common symptoms that can help you identify that your child is not sleeping well. These symptoms generally occur in groups, and you should get professional help to find the best results for your child.
Causes of Pediatric insomnia
Several different causes can lead to insomnia in children. Sometimes, you can control external factors to help your kid sleep. However, some internal factors might need professional or medical help to resolve the issue.
- Environmental factors such as noise, temperature, and light can interrupt your kid’s sleep.
- Stress can also be one of the significant factors; growing competition can make kids stressed and does not allow them to get proper sleep.
- Caffeine or other stimulants does not allow people to sleep.
- Mental or behavioral issues like Depression and Bipolar disorder can also cause sleepless nights in kids.
- Medical conditions such as asthma, allergies, growing pain, eczema, etc., can also cause insomnia in children.
- Sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep disorder and restless legs syndrome.
- Neurodevelopment disorders such as autism can also cause insomnia in children.
- Medicines such as stimulants that help treat ADHD can also restrict children from sleeping.
These are some general causes that can cause insomnia in children. However, some reasons can be reversible by maintaining simple sleep hygiene and changing things to help your kid sleep better.
However, you need to seek professional help according to some situations, such as medical conditions. Insomnia can also be of different types based on the state and causes of the issue.
Types of pediatric insomnia
Two significant types of insomnia can occur in the children, and it depends upon the cause, which is not allowing them to sleep.
Primary insomnia
Primary insomnia is a type that is not caused by any other condition. Instead, it is caused by poor sleep habits, such as not having a cozy place to sleep or not having a specific sleeping schedule that does not allow you to sleep. These are behavioral issues that you change by practicing good sleeping habits and changing things affecting your sleep.
Secondary insomnia
Secondary insomnia occurs when there is an external factor such as a medical condition or medications that are not allowing your kid to sleep. Again, you should take professional advice in this case because medical conditions can become severe if not treated in time.
Things that can help solve pediatric insomnia.
Insomnia in children is a big issue, but it is entirely curable. However, you need to follow specific steps to help you, the child, get a good night’s sleep. Treatment is available in different forms, such as:
Therapeutical treatment
Insomnia in children generally occurs from internal factors where behavioral therapy can help it can help you to change your behavior and patterns that do not allow you to sleep.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the highly effective ways to repair your kid’s sleep cycle naturally. There are some practices that you need to continue doing for some time that helps you to gain new habits and sleep better again.
- Maintaining healthy sleep habits that can also help in restoring your sleep cycle; therefore, make sure that you sleep in a place that is both comfortable and peaceful, which can allow you to get a complete life’s sleep.
Medical treatment
Medical conditions can also cause sleepless nights. Accordingly, if your kid is suffering from any medical issue disturbing their sleep, then make sure to get medical attention to it. However, there is no permanent solution for insomnia; several medicines can help your child sleep better.
Insomnia in children is entirely curable. However, you need to find the proper treatment for your offspring to stay healthy and move forward in life with adequate mental and physical abilities.
Conclusion
Sleep is a crucial part, especially in the life of children, and affects their day-to-day life. There is a big problem if your child is not sleeping well as it can adversely affect their physical and mental health. To help your child, you first need to identify the things that are not allowing them to sleep.
The second step will be to make changes that allow them to sleep, like maintaining good sleep hygiene. However, if there is a medical condition, you need to take medical help as it is the most effective way to deal with such issues. However, it is not a big problem but an important one that needs to be addressed immediately.
