Sleep disorders in a child

The reason for contacting a neurologist may be a violation of the child’s sleep. Sleep is an important part of a person’s life. It is necessary for processing and organizing information received during the day, as well as for rest of the body. Lack of sleep can affect a person’s waking time. Irritability appears, it is impossible to concentrate, drowsiness, mood swings, fatigue. Disorders of the autonomic nervous system, which provides innervation of organs, with disturbed sleep in the long term will worsen their function.

Symptoms of a child’s sleep disorder

• teeth grinding during sleep;
• nightmares;
• frequent awakenings;
• restless sleep;
• screams;
• conversations during sleep.

Causes of sleep disorders

Each symptom could be affected by different causes. Some of them may be insignificant, for example, a high emotional load. Some require monitoring and consultation with a specialist. Poor sleep can be affected by changes in the brain such as: hydrocephalus, birth trauma. The main task of a neurologist is to exclude pathologies.

Sleep disorders can be affected by improper functioning of the organs. The brain picks up signals of discomfort, and as a result, sleep is disrupted. A child can’t always tell what’s hurting them. And babies can only signal their condition by crying.

For example, there are widely known cases when sleep disturbance was caused by throwing acidic gastric contents into the esophagus, when heartburn occurred during sleep. Blood vessel disorders, neck or back muscle tone may affect sleep. Any incorrect work of the body forces you to spend more effort and energy on maintaining balance.

During sleep, the body gets uncomfortable, so the child tosses and turns. The spine, especially the cervical spine, can have a big impact on sleep. Violation of the dynamics of the cervical spine worsens the work of blood vessels, arteries. There is a poor blood supply to the brain. Harmful substances are poorly removed. The brain does not have time to recover during sleep. Sleep becomes fast.

Diagnostics

To diagnose sleep disorders, video-EEG monitoring is prescribed (during periods of falling asleep, sleeping, and waking up). Comfortable conditions, experienced specialists, accurate interpretation of indicators. Timely diagnosis allows you to prescribe effective treatment and increase the likelihood of a full recovery.

Treatment of sleep disorders in children

After diagnosis and exclusion of any pathologies, treatment is prescribed. Parents need to ensure a calm atmosphere at home, eliminate emotional stress. Proper nutrition, moderate physical activity. The most important thing is to create the right psychological atmosphere. Avoid stressful situations.