If they want to talk about a good dream, they usually use the phrase “sleeps like a baby.” In childhood, sleep is usually strong and healthy. But, unfortunately, civilization and stress do not bypass our babies, and more and more parents face insomnia in a young child or schoolchild.
Insomnia in children is also called behavioral insomnia of a young age. The problem arises when incorrect associations or attitudes are formed that are associated with sleep (motion sickness on the hands, sleep only in the light, falling asleep in the parent’s bed). Then attempts to correct sleepy behavior lead to violations of falling asleep, the quality and duration of sleep.
Causes of carotid disorders: stress, illness, events
There are a lot of reasons for sleep disturbances in children, but there are several groups that are of paramount importance. First of all, these are strong negative emotions, fears, stress, quarrels, emotional and physical overstrain. Any positive or negative emotions that provoke stress lead to the release of adrenaline and cortisol, and they prevent falling asleep, spurring on activity. Violation of the regime of the day, family problems, divorces, conflicts, moving to a new house, change of school, kindergarten, and educator significantly affect. Often the cause of stress and insomnia are fears of the dark, fear of a “woman”, sleep without light, cultivated by parents or outsiders. Disrupt sleep and children’s nightmares.
Insomnia: connection with the age of the baby
Often, the cause of sleep disorders depends on the age of the child. So, in infancy and early childhood, the main causes are:
- teething, which gives gums discomfort,
- the presence in the air of irritating substances (especially tobacco smoke), dry and hot air;
- allergy to food and other substances;
- gas in the abdomen, regurgitation;
- helminthic infestations (pinworms, roundworms);
- otitis and other diseases.
Early age is a period of rapid depletion of the nervous system, and it is provoked by an overabundance of emotions, disruption of the regime, excessive fatigue, lack of rituals of going to bed, and a change of scenery. Separation from parents and negative emotions in response to this fact seriously affect babies. Sleep problems occur in children who have been trained to sleep during feeding or motion sickness, in those who are not trained to sleep on their own.
At the age of three to six years, the causes of sleep problems are highly developed imagination, fears, nightmares, emotional and physical overexcitation, and the lack of contrast between the sleep and wake periods. A significant role is played by the violation of the light regime, the inconvenience of the bed, pillows and mattress, extraneous sounds in the bedroom, negative emotions before bedtime. Preschool age is the most frequent time for the development of insomnia.
The main signs of insomnia in a child
Signs of behavioral insomnia are quite recognizable. Children fall asleep for a long time, sometimes for 30-60 or more minutes, and only when special conditions are created. Parents need to turn on the nightlight, rock the bed, sleep next to them, rock their arms, turn on music, radio, TV. A child with sleep disorders in creating conditions and sleepy associations is extremely demanding, without creating the right atmosphere, tantrums, moods, crying, and refusal to sleep begin. Without creating special associations and conditions, sleep does not occur, despite fatigue, or it occurs in a child very delayed, restless, with sobs, awakenings and screams.
With insomnia in children, awakening in a dream requires mandatory adult intervention. Often a child by hook or by crook puts off going to bed, refuses to go to bed after waking up at night, does not sleep well day and night. With insomnia, the child is excited, capricious, nervous.
Diagnosis and treatment of carotid problems in children
Sleep disorders in children are diagnosed according to the parents, according to the description of problems with falling asleep, waking up, crying at night, according to the examination and ultrasound of the brain (if the fontanel is not closed). Additionally, EEG and REG are prescribed to exclude organic pathologies.
The basis for the treatment of insomnia in children is non-drug measures, normalization of the regimen, the process of falling asleep, and the formation of sleepy rituals. So, the process of going to bed should be pleasant for children. This is a time of calm, affection, and preparation for bed should be laid-back and fun, but adamant. The children’s bed should be comfortable and used only for sleep, you can allow sleep with your favorite toy or gizmo.
The treatment complex is, first of all, the exclusion or cure of the main cause of sleep disorders, then insomnia disappears. Applied psychotherapy for children and parents, a set of calming exercises, breathing practices. Often, children respond well to acupressure, special “sleepy” exercises, aromatherapy, including baths, and sedatives. Drugs for sleeping pills in children are practically not used.
What is the danger of sleep problems, how to fix them?
Insomnia affects the growth and development of children, as it inhibits the production of growth hormone, which is mainly produced in sleep. Children who sleep poorly usually lag behind their peers in growth and development. With a bad dream, mental function suffers, children are capricious, behave badly, lose their ability to think logically, and perform actions according to a stereotype. Prolonged insomnia can lead to somatic and neurological diseases.
A number of simple recommendations help normalize sleep and improve its quality in childhood. This is the creation of comfortable conditions for sleep and the rejection of exciting games, unpleasant conversations before bedtime. For a healthy sleep, it is important to maintain physical and emotional balance, the treatment of various pathologies that affect sleep. To improve health, you need hardening, observing the strict regime of the day, using the bedroom and bed exclusively for sleeping.
In order for the child to sleep well at night, in the daytime he needs to actively spend that energy that is accumulating in him. Without active running, jumping, outdoor games and pampering, he will then be unable to sleep well and soundly. Equally important are outdoor walks to burn calories .