Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep?

Did you know that at least half of all children do not get enough sleep?  Getting enough sleep is important in growth development as well as maintaining good health.  If a child chronically does not get enough sleep then their immune system will weaken causing more colds and illnesses.  So what exactly is enough sleep in kids?

Dr. Lisa Shives, medical director of Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, IL, recently recommended the following amounts fo sleep for children.

Newborns (0-2 months):  11-18 hours through the day and night with no exact pattern.

Infants (2-12 months):  9-12 hours at night and nap for 2-5 hours.  By 6 months of age, most babies are capable of sleeping through the night.

Toddlers (1-3 years):  11-13 hours with 1.5 - 3 hours spent in one to two naps.

Pre-Schoolers (3-5 years):  11-13 hours.  Napping has usually stopped.

Elementary School (6-12 years):  10-11 hours is recommended, but they don't usually get that much.

Adolescents (13-18 years):  9 - 9.5 hours.  However, most teens get around 7 hours of sleep.

Children who do not get enough sleep may be suffering from a sleep disorder.  If their behavior or schoolwork is suffering an overnight sleep study might be recommended.  Some common sleep disorders are night terrors, sleep walking, apnea and narcolepsy.

Night terrors are common and children usually outgrow these.  They usually bother other people more than the child. Sometimes by waking the child 15 - 30 minutes before the terror usually happens will help.  Otherwise, adjust the child's bedtime until you see progress.

Sleep walking is common and usually children outgrow it.  But it can be dangerous.  If you suspect your child is a sleep walker make sure all stairways have gates and doors have alarms.  Special care should be given to protect child from falling through a window also.

Apnea does happen in children, although more common in adults.  Those with sleep apnea stop breathing while sleeping.  Being overweight can be one cause of sleep apnea.  The CPAP machine is the best way to treat sleep apnea.  Children actually adjust better to this mask connected to an air machine better than adults.

Narcolepsy is a common sleep disorder affecting teenagers.  Symptoms range fro sleep attacks, when a person appears to spontaneously fall asleep, to excessive sleepiness.  Sometimes kids like these get labeled as 'lazy' or 'sleepyheads'.  Adolescents do have different internal clocks that dictate teens to need more sleep than the rest of us.  Usually they are not getting it.

Children who are suspected of having attention deficit disorder (ADHD) should have a sleep study done because symptoms of ADHD and sleep deprivation are similar-- inattentiveness, difficulty learning and contolling impulsive behavior.