Sleep problems in children
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Sleep problems in children: Essentials
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What will happen to my child?

Your child's behavior can be difficult during the daytime if they aren't sleeping well. Disrupted sleep can also put you under a lot of stress.

Some children will grow out of sleep problems. But if your child has a serious sleep problem, it could last quite long. Without treatment, 4 in 5 young children still have their sleep problem two to three years later.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Kataria S, Swanson MS.
Persistence of sleep disturbances in preschool children.
Journal of Pediatrics. 1987; 110: 642-646.
 
 
 
 
 
1

If your child is sleepy during the day or waking at night, they probably won't do so well during the daytime. Your child may:

  • Behave badly
  • Become moody.
They may also find it hard to concentrate.

Children who sleepwalk also risk accidentally injuring themselves while they're asleep. But children usually stop having nightmares and stop sleepwalking by age 10.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Stores G.
Practitioner review: assessment and treatment of sleep disorders in children and adolescents.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 1996; 37: 907-925.
 
 
 
 
 
2

Children with learning disabilities and sleep disorders may have more challenging behavior than those without sleep disorders.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Wiggs L, Stores G.
Severe sleep disturbance and daytime challenging behaviour in children with severe learning disabilities.
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 1996; 40: 518-528.
 
 
 
 
 
3 This can put you under a lot of strain. It can make it harder for you to enjoy life, and it can put stress on your relationship with your partner.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Quine L.
Severity of sleep problems in children with severe learning difficulties: description and correlates.
Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology. 1992; 2: 247-268.
 
 
 
 
 
4 If you are having a hard time coping, talk with your doctor. There may be local groups or services that can help.

Regular lack of sleep in a child who has
 
 
 
 
 
epilepsy
Epilepsy is a condition that affects your brain. If you have epilepsy, the normal electrical activity in your brain gets disturbed from time to time. This leads to seizures (also called fits).
 
 
 
 
 
epilepsy means they're more likely to have more
 
 
 
 
 
seizure
A seizure is a sudden spasm of muscles caused by too much electrical activity in the brain. It results in muscle twitching and other symptoms.
 
 
 
 
 
seizures.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Rajna P, Veres J.
Correlation between night sleep duration and seizure frequency in temporal lobe epilepsy.
Epilepsia. 1993; 34: 574-579.
 
 
 
 
 
5

Sources for the information on this page:
  1. Kataria S, Swanson MS.Persistence of sleep disturbances in preschool children.Journal of Pediatrics. 1987; 110: 642-646.
  2. Stores G.Practitioner review: assessment and treatment of sleep disorders in children and adolescents.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 1996; 37: 907-925.
  3. Wiggs L, Stores G.Severe sleep disturbance and daytime challenging behaviour in children with severe learning disabilities.Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 1996; 40: 518-528.
  4. Quine L.Severity of sleep problems in children with severe learning difficulties: description and correlates.Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology. 1992; 2: 247-268.
  5. Rajna P, Veres J.Correlation between night sleep duration and seizure frequency in temporal lobe epilepsy.Epilepsia. 1993; 34: 574-579.
This information was last updated on May 12, 2009
BMJ Group
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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