Is Your Child’s Fear Keeping Him and You Awake at Night?
As we entered second grade we thought being afraid of the dark would improve over the summer However the sleepless nights continued with pattering of footsteps in our room almost nightly Walks down the short hallway to his bedroom would halt with the lights on or off with the sun up or down
Even our dog could not help him be comfortable being in a room by himself or closing a bathroom door He would take about 2 steps forward then 3 steps back
And then we noticed snoring Fortunately after visiting his pediatrician he suffered from seasonal allergies and his normal medicine was not working But the first step was diagnosing and eliminating issues for him
OSA in Kids
Obstructive sleep apnea OSA is a common serious condition in adults but is a condition in children that can lead to learning behavior growth and heart problems According to the American Sleep Apnea Association symptoms and signs in children suffering from OSA can include
snoring
long pauses in breathing
tossing and turning in bed
chronic mouth breathing during sleep
night sweats
Between the ages of two and eight years old only one to five percent of children are diagnosed Studies have shown that if left untreated sleep apnea in children can lead to issues later in life like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder In fact as many as 25 percent of these cases may have symptoms of OSA
Learning difficulties behavioral issues bed wetting obesity sleep walking and other hormonal and metabolic problems can be the consequences of chronic fragmented sleep like OSA
How to Put Your Childs Fear to Bed
A few tips that helped our son continue to move beyond his fear and get a better night sleep are simple remedies for any family to try
Sound machine or music For our son a sound machine was ineffective However a soundtrack of 30 minutes of ocean music did the trick He loves the beach even if only visiting it twice in his life but it helps soothe him at bedtime Dont be afraid to try a few options We tried several before finding what works
I dismissed essential oils so many times since they seemed like an expensive way to bring smells into the home But when we tried lavender in his room with a night light diffuser we have not looked back We decided to try a brand found at Home Goods and TJ Maxx to save money per ounce and so far it has done the trick
It seems simple but a problem we were noticing with his fears were tummy aches that led to constipation Our pediatrician recommended probiotics and different foods to calm his tummy What has proved most helpful is Good Day Chocolate probiotics for kids He takes one at night and he has not had any constipation in 3 months
Common for adults there are also natural supplements that work for kids The same brand Good Day Chocolate makes sleep pills that he takes during the week to help with his sleep
Another common solution to sleeping problems is exercise for adults but it is also a great remedy for kids as well We put our son in karate to build his confidence against his fears and help him have a regular outlet for fun and exercise
Prayer and a book A chapter book has been a big step up in the routine at bedtime since our son is enjoying reading more and comprehending longer stories He is excited to hear what is next in the book we are reading and knows it comes with bedtime Prayers help as well including him asking for a restful night
Sleep disorders in children can lead to lower school grades and cranky children to even behavioral problems in their social lives When we started the school year we were looking forward to a routine that was inconsistent over the summer months
This year the routine to jump start the year took a few weeks for adjusting We realized he was battling a small case of seasonal affective disorder SAD which can hinder the ability to acclimate to a new schedule or a new routine Many attribute SAD to winter months but for those who suffer from sleep disorders or dislike a change in routine SAD can affect any age during any season
Taking Your Child to Her Doctor
The first step is to alert your childs pediatrician if you believe that your child is suffering from a sleep disorder After a proper physical exam they can determine if a sleep study is best for your child In our case it was finding the right balance to the road to a fearless nighttime routine
We are still in the thick of it but with small strides along the way our pediatrician and other parents with similar struggles have been helpful
Your Next Step
An AWAKE support group through the American Sleep Apnea Association can help with any questions to others who have experienced misdiagnosis and the road ahead while dealing with pediatric OSA
Steps are available with our doctors to diagnose your child correctly through a free pediatrics phone consultation at the Alaska Sleep Clinic In fact Alaska Sleep Clinic is the ONLY sleep lab in Alaska with a Pediatric Medical Director who specializes in sleep Dr Harry Yuan Read more about Dr Yuan here
You can also download our FREE Pediatric Study E book simply by clicking the picture below
FREE Pediatric Sleep Studies e book
