When it came to her son's sleeping habits Sherrie Sharlow considered herself lucky. It was common for her 1-year-old son Ethan Cain to sleep for a solid 12 hours, providing a respite for his parents.
Facts
Sleep Tips for Children and Infants
Babies up to 1 year old should always be placed on their backs on a firm surface to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
- Establish a routine by setting your child's bedtime at the same time each night and doing similar activities before bed.
- All children and adolescents who snore regularly should be tested for sleep apnea. Additional symptoms can include labored breathing during sleep, gasps, snorts or pauses in breath.
- Create a technology curfew by requiring children to hand over devices such as laptops, tablets, cellphones and turning off television before bedtime.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics
Babies up to 1 year old should always be placed on their backs on a firm surface to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
- Establish a routine by setting your child's bedtime at the same time each night and doing similar activities before bed.
- All children and adolescents who snore regularly should be tested for sleep apnea. Additional symptoms can include labored breathing during sleep, gasps, snorts or pauses in breath.
- Create a technology curfew by requiring children to hand over devices such as laptops, tablets, cellphones and turning off television before bedtime.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics
But despite the child's long slumbers, he was always tired. Sharlow, 44, also noticed that her son would gasp for air while sleeping and would frequently snore. A doctor confirmed Ethan Cain had obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing slows or decreases during sleep due to a narrow or blocked airway.
"He was such a good baby," the Port Orange resident recalled. "He would just fall asleep on me or we'd be out and the next thing I knew, he was sleeping. Everyone said I was so lucky, but the whole while sleep was doing damage to my child and I had no idea."
Like the majority of children diagnosed with sleep apnea, Ethan Cain had surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids. Sharlow said her son, now 9, is able to sleep throughout the night and she's seen an improvement in his behavior and mood.
Sleep disorders affect 20 to 25 percent of children and adolescents, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. While childhood obesity is a contributing factor to disorders like sleep apnea, sleepless nights also appear to be intensified by modern life's hectic schedules and dependence on technology, said Dr. Mary Wagner, director of the pediatric sleep lab at the University of Florida.
"Sometimes there are other disruptions that are causing kids to stay up late," Wagner said. "Maybe they are on their phones or texting. Because there is so much fun stuff do to 24/7, sometimes it's hard to get in bed, turn the lights off and go to sleep."
Edgewater resident Kimberly Adams believes that placing her 1-year-old daughter, Zoe, and 4-year-old son, Zane, on a strict bedtime schedule has made a difference in their behavior. Because her husband wakes up for work each morning at 4:30, the entire family goes to bed at 8 p.m., she said.
"We try not to do a lot of running around during the week," Adams said. "We sit down to dinner every night at 6, and then shower and get ready for bed. We have always had a consistent schedule from when my son was first born."
The AAP recommends children ages 5 to 13 receive 10 hours of sleep per night, and eight to nine hours each night for 14- to 18-year-olds. Irregular or disrupted sleep in children can cause side effects such as lack of concentration, impulsiveness and irritability. Researchers are studying the correlation between sleep disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder because of the similar side effects.
"We are seeing an increase in children and teens with sleep disorders, especially with obstructive sleep apnea because of obesity and weight issues," said Amy Korn-Reavis, program director of the neurodiagnostic technology program at Concorde Career Institute in Orlando. "We don't know if there is a correlation but the symptoms of sleep disorders and ADHD are exactly the same."
A 2007 study published in the Journal of the AAPfound that 50 percent of parents of children and adolescents with ADHD reported sleep problems but the relationship is not well understood.
"It's unclear whether the sleep problem or the psychiatric disorder is the primary problem," researchers wrote in the study.
Joellen Salce Rogers, a licensed school psychologist and behavioral analyst in Daytona Beach, said the ADHD screenings she conducts with her patients evaluate habits such as eating and sleeping.
"If they don't sleep well or fitfully there is a possibility that there is a correlation and it warrants looking into," Rogers said. "There is no question that our lives are crazier now and we are running in different directions. But there is also a huge genetic component associated with ADHD."
Wagner said that education among doctors, parents and psychologists is important for making sure a child is receiving the best treatment for sleep and behavioral disorders. She also recommends that children who are being tested for ADHD are also screened for sleep disorders.
"We are getting better at making diagnoses, but the people who know children best are the parents," Wagner said. "They should bring concerns to the attention of a primary care provider."
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