Sleep disorders such as nightmares, sleep terrors and sleepwalking negatively affect the physical and mental development of children.
Experts point out that sleep disorders in growing children affect brain development and the learning process, and emphasize the importance of early diagnosis.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Diseases Specialist Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başak Ayık, from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital, stated that children in the growing age have many sleep problems from infancy and early diagnosis is important.
CHILDREN WITH SLEEP PROBLEMS HAVE PROBLEMS IN LEARNING AND ATTENTION!
Stating that daytime sleep in children is normal until the age of 3, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başak Ayık said that the need for daytime sleep decreases after the age of 3. Stating that the basis of sleep problems in children may be the problem of regulating sleep habits, Ayık said, "In order for babies and children to develop a regular sleep habit, parents need to set rules and make arrangements. We see sleep disorders in some mental illnesses, but even if there is no mental illness, we mostly see stress-related sleep disorders in children. One of the most common reactions in children and infants after a stressful life event is sleep disturbance. Physical diseases (such as reflux, airway obstructions, asthma and allergies) may also be at the root of sleep disorders. Sleep problems in children are important because this period is the period when brain development and growth are the fastest, and if the child cannot get enough and quality sleep, problems may occur in learning and attention processes."
NIGHTMARES MAY OCCUR DURING STRESSFUL PERIODS
Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başak Ayık listed the sleep problems seen in children as follows:
NIGHTMARES:
One of the most common sleep disorders in children is nightmares. Nightmares are most common between the ages of 3-5 but can be seen in all age groups. Nightmares are dreams with anxiety and frightening content. There are actually two periods of sleep, one can be defined as the period when we dream and brain development is faster, and the other can be defined as a slow and restful sleep period. We see nightmares during the dreaming period and there are important points here. A child wakes up completely after having a nightmare and can remember details, especially details immediately after waking up. Sometimes we may not remember the nightmares we have during night sleep clearly in the morning, but when we wake up immediately after the nightmare, there is recall. There may be an increase in nightmares during stressful and anxious periods. The treatment approach varies in cases where this condition is seen alone or accompanied by another psychiatric disorder (such as anxiety disorders).
However, among our general recommendations, it is important to control stimuli, for example, nightmares may occur frequently when children watch inappropriate (horror and violent) cartoons or videos, play computer games in the same style or after horror stories. It is therefore important to eliminate these inappropriate stimuli.
SLEEPING WITH EYES OPEN / NIGHT TERROR-SLEEP TERROR
After nightmares, a common sleep disorder we see is what we call night terrors or sleep terrors. Here, the child opens his/her eyes about two to three hours after going to sleep, crying and screaming in fear and sits in the bed. Here the child is actually asleep and it occurs especially during the heavy sleep period. Because the child's eyes are open, parents think they are awake. However, the child is sound asleep at the time, so the gaze is blank and motionless. If the child is not awakened at this time and is put back to sleep, he/she will not remember this in the morning because he/she is fast asleep. This can last from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. It is important not to wake the child during this time. The frequency of this sleep disorder may increase with fatigue, so daytime sleep may be recommended as an additional approach.
HOME SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN SLEEPWALKING!
Sleepwalking
Among the sleep disorders seen in children, sleepwalking is one of the most important problems, and we usually see it in children. The frequency of sleepwalking is important, it usually starts around the ages of 4-8 and we expect it to decrease towards adolescence. In sleepwalking, the eyes are open, the gaze is dull and motionless and the person does not remember these things when he/she wakes up in the morning if he/she is not woken up because he/she is in a heavy sleep period. Safety precautions are very important because during sleep, the person may continue the action he/she was doing, for example, he/she may open the street door and walk away, or he/she may mistake the window for a street door and fall out of the pine. Unfortunately, we can see such incidents, the child may think he/she is going to the toilet and urinate in another part of the house. It is important to remove the window handles, lock the doors and put the keys in a hidden place, and if there are rooms with steps, keep the doors locked. Again, as in night terrors, sleepwalking may increase with excessive fatigue, so we may recommend daytime sleep.
Detailed evaluation is important if sleepwalking recurs frequently. In children with sleepwalking and sleep terrors, programmed awakening can also be done in addition to daytime sleep. If the child experiences these situations at certain times every night, you can reduce these attacks if you wake the child up 15 minutes or half an hour before the problem occurs and let the child go back to sleep.
IS APNEA THE CAUSE OF BEDWETTING?
Obstructive sleep apnea:
Apnea is the temporary complete cessation of breathing. Apnea can occur during sleep if the child has a disease or brain condition that blocks the airway. Since breathing stops completely during this time, the duration and frequency of apnea are critical. Generally, it is most common in children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, and in this case, this problem disappears after surgery. Another very common cause is obesity. Since respiratory arrest negatively affects the circulation and metabolism of the whole body and especially the brain, the diagnosis and treatment of this disease is of great importance. Some children with sleep apnea may also suffer from nocturnal enuresis.
ALSO SEEN IN CHILDREN
Restless leg syndrome:
Another problem during sleep is restless leg syndrome. While this condition usually does not cause much trouble during the day, it occurs at night during sleep or at rest. It is a feeling of restlessness such as pain and tingling in the legs. In mild cases, this problem disappears when the leg is moved, but in severe and severe cases, the problem does not go away with movement. Leg movements are also frequently seen during sleep. Restless leg syndrome may have underlying medical conditions. For example, we see it 5 times more often in iron deficiency in children, restless leg syndrome can also be seen in B12 deficiency, kidney patients, excessive coffee and cigarette consumption. The diagnosis and treatment of this very disturbing condition significantly affects the quality of life.
DAYTIME SLEEP ATTACKS CAN CAUSE DAMAGE!
Narcolepsy
Another important sleep disorder is what we call narcolepsy in medical language. In this disease, there are sudden sleep attacks while awake during the day. The person suddenly falls asleep while talking or eating. Sometimes, loss of muscle tone accompanying intense emotion, which we call 'cataplexy', can be added to this. In cataplexy, the person may suddenly fall to the ground when they are very happy, excited, laughing or upset. Diagnosis and treatment of narcolepsy is important because the frequency of these daytime sleep attacks negatively affects the quality of daily life of the person. If accompanied by cataplexy, physical injuries are added to the picture.
DIAGNOSIS IS MADE IN THE SLEEP LABORATORY
Stating that sleep disorders are accompanied by mental illnesses, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Başak Ayık pointed out that sleep problems are common in depression, anxiety disorders and distraction. Dr. Ayık,
He added that sleep-related problems and diseases can be diagnosed in the sleep laboratory at NPISTANBUL Hospital.