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Toddlers who won’t sleep through the night. Children who sleep
fitfully or who repeatedly climb in their parents’ bed. Teens who stay
up half the night and sleep half the day. Are these scenarios happening
in your home? If so, are your children going through normal phases, or
is there a bigger issue at hand?
The Center for Pediatric Sleep
Disorders was created to provide consultation and therapeutic management
for the wide variety of sleep disorders that can affect children. A
comprehensive approach to sleep medicine is maintained with a focus on
the behavioral, developmental, neurological, and pulmonary issues that
result in pediatric sleep disorders.
Diagnosing the Problem
Common
symptoms of sleep disorders include the following:
- Excessive
tiredness
- Tendency to fall asleep during the day
- Sleep-related
injuries (such as those that result from dozing off while driving).
- Other
obvious signs include crankiness or being short-fused.
- A tired
child might have trouble focusing or paying attention at school, which
can lead to lower grades.
Avoiding Long-term Issues
While
extreme sleepiness can affect many aspects of day-to-day life, chronic
sleep problems can contribute to long-term health issues. Studies show
that sleep deprivation can go hand-in-hand with diabetes risk, blood
pressure problems and weight issues.
Common Sleep Disorders
According
to the American Academy of Pediatrics, these are the five most common
sleep disorders for children:
- Narcolepsy – A child with
narcolepsy has a strong, uncontrollable urge to sleep. She may fall
asleep for a few minutes or an hour at a time, often in inappropriate
places. She awakens refreshed, but becomes sleepy again as the cycle
repeats itself.
- Sleep apnea – A child with sleep apnea briefly
stops breathing many times during the night because of an obstruction in
the respiratory tract. She awakens for a few minutes as she
instinctively gasps for air.
- Nightmares – Nightmares are
especially common in middle childhood. The child typically awakens
because of a scary dream. She might become anxious, breathe heavily and
begin crying.
- Sleep talking – During sleep, the child begins
speaking (often in a monotone and unintelligibly). Episodes usually last
30 seconds or less.
- Sleep walking – About 15 percent of
children ages 5 to 12 have at least one sleep-walking episode. Boys tend
to be more affected than girls, and episodes usually occur during the
second or third hour of nighttime sleep.
This
center is the first of its kind in South Carolina managed by an
American board-certified pediatric sleep medicine specialist. A
physician referral is required.
To learn more about the Center
for Pediatric Sleep Disorders or to schedule an appointment, please call(864) 454-5660.
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