Children with issues in classroom may have sleep disorder

Children who show ADD or ADHD symptoms in the classroom may be experiencing a sleep disorder.

More parents are waking up to the fact that sleep disorders are more common than most of us think. Now the American Academy of Pediatrics and doctors continue to warn parents that sleep disorders can trick you into thinking you’re dealing with something else all together.

Dr. Akinyemi Ajayi, the Medical Director of Children’s Sleep Lab, says that when a child is tired and can’t focus in the classroom or they’re fidgeting to stay awake, a teacher sees that and may presume the child has ADD and ADHD.

Parents Garrett and Joey Myers had the same problem with their twin daughters Monica and Megan. The girls were never diagnosed with a learning disorder, and it was a journey of many doctor visits to figure out why there girls where having behavioral problems.

“It’s a never ending battle of what looks like eating disorder or anxiety or OCD,” said Garret Myers, the girls’ father.

As the parents visited one medical expert after the next, mom Joey Myers, tried to ask doctors if the twins could possibly have narcolepsy, like she was diagnosed with in adulthood. So finally, the Myers met Dr. Ajayi, who after a series of test, determined the twins did have narcolepsy.

The girls are now being treated at separate therapeutic boarding schools out of state. “They basically have to finish growing up,” said Garrett Myers. “They stopped and at 10-years old, they regressed.”

Now the parents are trying to educate others moms and dad to be vigilant if they feel their child might be experiencing problems because of a sleep disorder.

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Genetics may influence children's school anxiety

A study discusses how parents' anxiety genetically passes to children and can influence the child's back to school attitude and anxiety level.

Many parents may have noticed their children seemed on edge during their first week of school. They may have been agitated, withdrawn or more focused on themselves, rather than what was going on around them. Such behaviours are classic symptoms of high anxiety, says Université de Montréal researcher Richard Tremblay.

Tremblay is a professor emeritus whose area of expertise is childhood psychology and psychiatry, particularly antisocial behaviour. In 1984, he launched a longitudinal study that focused on the development of children from conception on. Many of the original participants are now in their mid-30s. Thanks in part to funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Tremblay was able to build a mobile lab in 2005 that allowed him to park this study at participants' front door -- a convenience that helped ensure their cooperation over decades.

He says the longer timelines of his study gave him the chance to better understand the hereditary and environmental factors that lead a child to become aggressive, depressed or anxious.

Tremblay says the anxiety young students feel as they return to school is often related to the uncertainties they feel about their new teacher and classroom environment, the kids they'll interact with and whether their bullies will hunt them down during recess.

"It's a big change in the rhythm of life for everybody, especially children," says Tremblay. "Those who have problems with anxiety often create worst-case scenarios, almost like horror stories in their minds."

But Tremblay adds that being prone to such back to school horrors is not isolated to the imaginations of young students. Rather, their sky-is-falling tendencies may have been inherited from their parents, he says.

"There is a big genetic effect in terms of anxiety behaviours," says Tremblay. "The best predictors of anxiety or depression among children are their parents' own struggles with the same disorders. In other words, if you have a very anxious mother or father, you are at high risk of being an anxious child."

Parents pass their anxious tendencies to children through their genes, predisposing the next generation to bouts of apprehension, says Tremblay. "But a child's anxiety can be amplified by their environment," he adds. "If you're brought up by an anxious mother or father and you're genetically predisposed to these conditions, you will have a difficult time learning how to control your anxiety."

Tremblay outlines the consequences of this increased on-edge behaviour, suggesting the tightly-wound types are more likely to become depressed. They may have serious problems paying attention in school which could eventually affect their scholastic achievement and social relations.

And jittery students often have an additional worry to deal with. Not only are they nervous about going back to school but they tend to be anxious about being anxious once they get there. "It's a meta problem," says Tremblay, referring to how anxiety about one thing can generate anxiety about another.

To deal with such concerns, Tremblay encourages parents to monitor their children's behaviour in the first week of school. "Parents need to think about who their child is, how they're child has coped in the past and what worked and what didn't," says Tremblay.

He suggests parents who've suffered from anxiety watch for any behavioural similarities reflected in their children. Once identified, they can use their own memories of how they coped to guide their children through nerve-wracking encounters.

If children aren't able to relax within the first few weeks of school, Tremblay recommends parents seek help from the school, from counsellors or even from the young child's grandparents. He believes they can offer grounded insight into what it's like raising a high-strung kid who then has an anxious child of their own.

"Grandmama knows things that can be very helpful," says Tremblay. "People imagine that new psychological knowledge will solve all their problems but those old experiences are very good."

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Children with sensory disorders overwhelmed with new school year

This article discusses how children with sensory processing disorders can be overwhelmed with the changes from a new school year.

Transitioning from summer to a new school year is hard for any kid, but it is particularly difficult for children who have trouble processing new sensations, according to an expert on what is known as "sensory processing disorder."

Sensory processing disorder is a neurological problem that affects behavior and learning. For kids with this disorder, too much sensory overload or the wrong kind of stimulation can lead to problems with attention, coordination and impulsiveness as the child tries to either increase or decrease the sensations they are experiencing.

Varleisha Gibbs, an assistant professor of occupational therapy at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, explained that the transition back to school disrupts the daily routines that these children have established during the summer. She noted, however, planning ahead can help ease the stress of this transition.

"Students with sensory processing disorders typically struggle with adapting to change," Gibbs said in a university news release. "A new school year brings an abundance of changes, including new teachers and classmates, schedules and routines, classrooms and settings, as well as new demands and expectations in the classroom."

To ease the transition to a new school year for children with sensory processing disorders, Gibbs recommended that children, teachers and parents or caregivers take the following steps:

• Plan a visit. Before the first day of class, arrange a visit to the school to familiarize the child with the school setting and the teacher. If possible, take photos of the surroundings to help the child acclimate to the environment ahead of time.
• Be proactive. Reach out to the school early to inform administrators about the child's therapy schedule. A child's private occupational therapy sessions should be coordinated with any therapy offered at school so they do not overlap.
• Pack a sensory kit. Certain fidget devices may help keep children calm and focused during a stressful transition time. These objects include stress balls, seat cushions, gum and music with headphones. Teachers can also provide a variety of seating options in the classrooms, including beanbag chairs and therapy balls.
• Be open. Because not all children with sensory processing disorders are placed in special education, communicating a child's needs to teachers and school administrators can help ensure they are able to benefit from their calming strategies. For example, these children may need to chew gum in class or listen to headphones between classes.
• Shop early. Purchase backpacks and school clothes well in advance so children can try them on and identify any items that are bothersome or uncomfortable. Be sure to remove all tags, wash the clothes and find underwear that can alleviate any irritability from the fabric rubbing against the skin.
• Set an example. When parents are calm and collected, it's easier for children to feel the same way about going back to school.

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Asthma may cause poor sleep and academic performance

Research shows that uncontrolled asthma symptoms can result in poor sleep quality and poor performance in school for children.

The negative effects of poorly controlled asthma symptoms on sleep quality and academic performance in urban schoolchildren has been confirmed in a new study.

"While it has been recognized that missed sleep and school absences are important indicators of asthma morbidity in children, our study is the first to explore the associations between asthma, sleep quality, and academic performance in real time, prospectively, using both objective and subjective measures," said principal investigator Daphne Koinis-Mitchell, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Human Behavior (Research) and Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Research) at Brown University's Alpert Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island. "In our sample of urban schoolchildren (aged 7 to 9), we found that compromised lung function corresponded with both poor sleep efficiency and impaired academic performance."

The results of the study will be presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2013 International Conference.

The study included data on 170 parent-child dyads from urban and African-American, Latino, and non-Latino white backgrounds who reside in Greater Providence, RI. These data are part of a larger 5-year study of asthma and allergic rhinitis symptoms, sleep quality and academic performance (which will include 450 urban children with persistent asthma and healthy controls) funded by The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Project NAPS (Nocturnal Asthma and Performance in School) is administered through Rhode Island Hospital at The Bradley Hasbro Research Center.

Asthma symptoms were assessed over three 30-day monitoring periods across the school year by spirometry, which measures the amount and speed of exhaled air, and with diaries maintained by children and their caregivers. Sleep quality was assessed with actigraphy, which measures motor activity that can be used to estimate sleep parameters. Asthma control was assessed with the Asthma Control Test (ACT), a brief questionnaire used to measure asthma control in children. Academic functioning was assessed by teacher report during the same monitoring periods.

Compared with children with well-controlled asthma, those with poorly controlled asthma had lower quality school work and were more careless with their school work, according to teacher reports. Higher self-reported and objectively measured asthma symptom levels were associated with lower quality school work. Poorer sleep quality was also associated with careless school work. Increased sleep onset latency (the amount of time children take to fall asleep) was associated with more difficulty in remaining awake in class.

"Our findings demonstrate the detrimental effects that poorly controlled asthma may have on two crucial behaviors that can enhance overall health and development for elementary school children; sleep and school performance," said Dr. Koinis-Mitchell. "Urban and ethnic minority children are at an increased risk for high levels of asthma morbidity and frequent health care utilization due to asthma. Given the high level of asthma burden in these groups, and the effects that urban poverty can have on the home environments and the neighborhoods of urban families, it is important to identify modifiable targets for intervention."

"Family-level interventions aimed at asthma control and improving sleep quality may help to improve academic performance in this vulnerable population," Dr. Konis-Mitchell continued. "In addition, school-level interventions can involve identifying children with asthma who miss school often, appear sleepy and inattentive during class, or who have difficulty with school work. Working collaboratively with the school system as well as the child and family may ultimately enhance the child's asthma control."

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Identifying the tipping point for those with ADHD

This article discusses warning signs for a "tipping point" when strategies that help with ADHD symptoms seem to stop working. Identifying issues before the tipping point could help get a person back on track.

The tipping point is basically a time in people’s lives when, for various reasons, the strategies they have been using to compensate for theirADHD challenges no longer seem to be working. This tipping point often is experienced along with feelings of overwhelm and chaos.

Before reaching a tipping point, people often are able to balance known or unknown ADHD challenges with strategies they may not have even realized they were using. They had been able to adapt and cope well with their symptoms. Their symptoms may not have interfered with their functioning, so that they avoided an official ADHD diagnosis.

But for some reason a life change — a job promotion, relationship change, school change, or myriad other things — renders the current strategies ineffective. Over time there is a sense that things are no longer going well and in fact, life seems to be falling apart in a big way.

Here are some life situations that could be possible tipping points:

1. New problems at school.

Often, when higher elementary or middle school hits, students begin unraveling. They experience more responsibility in juggling multiple classrooms, more homework and larger classes. Suddenly it seems like nothing is working anymore. They can’t get things done that they want to get done, everything becomes chaotic, things start to come undone. Their schoolwork starts to suffer; they may have trouble concentrating in class, forget to hand in homework or start to experience difficulties with old friendships.

Often, no one recognizes these warning signs as being ADHD-related because the students previously had managed or were able to compensate for their challenges. Parents and educators start to feel helpless when a previously successful student seems to become unmotivated. Students are told they just need to try harder. Everyone is unsure how to get the child back on track and the students begin to feel stupid, lazy and incapable.

2. Inability to cope after significant life changes.

Some people with ADHD experience their first tipping point after a significant life change, even a positive one such as getting married or moving into a new home. These major life celebrations are anticipated with great joy, but often may be a change that tips the balance. Perhaps you’ve been able to balance your own life and your own schedule and where you put things up until now. But then you get married and now your spouse has a different way of doing things or expectations of the way things should be organized that differ from your views. That’s not to mention having to deal with the extra stuff in your space.

Slowly you notice that things are not working as well as they had before, and because this is supposed to be the happiest time of your life, you think there must be something wrong with you — right? Wrong! Significant life changes such as getting married, having another child or moving homes often can upset an unknown balance.

3. Unable to transition successfully into a new role at work.

Up until your “tipping point” you have been performing really well in your job — so well, in fact, that you are promoted. Slowly you may start to notice that you are not doing this new job as well as everyone expected, and you begin to isolate yourself, dread going to work and may eventually get fired.

What happened? You reached your tipping point. Not because you didn’t deserve the job, but because changes in work often come with changes of staff, support, work space, etc. that throw you off.

4. Change in family dynamics.

If you find yourself with new responsibilities and changes in your family, such as taking in an elderly parent, adding members to your family, or getting a new roommate, the additional responsibilities, change in routine and stress can gradually sink in and leave you overwhelmed and unable to cope as you have previously. It is so easy to begin to think you are a terrible mom, unfit for the responsibilities of a family or that you may be destined to live alone.

It’s not you. You were thrown off-balance, and your ability to compensate for your ADHD with your old routine, structures or systems is no longer working. But instead of seeing the truth, that it isn’t anything you’ve done wrong, or knowing that you can fix this, you’re filled with undeserved guilt and shame.

5. Physical injury.

People often experience their tipping point when an ADHD-management strategy such as exercise decreases or activity level changes. Unbeknownst to many people with ADHD, participation in sports or daily exercise provides some additional dopamine to our brain and helps to create structure and routine in our lives that help to better manage ADHD symptoms.

Tipping points are common for high school athletes who have earned success not only in their sports but academically, only to go off to college and experience failure for the first time. Without the rigorous physical training and structure of high school, they begin slowly to fall apart. Another common tipping point for people with ADHD is when they have experienced an injury and have to decrease their activity or exercise level. This change in routine and absence of daily dopamine boosts can challenge previous steadiness, energy levels and ability to focus. Life begins to wobble.

As you can see, there are many reasons, often beyond your control, that might lead you to your tipping point. A tipping point means that you are at a crossroads. You have a choice which way you will react. You can continue down that path to chaos and overwhelm, or you can get restructured and relearn ways to to cope and get back on track.

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Migraines in Children Lead to Lower School Performance

A study shows that migraines in children is linked to lower academic performance.

Children with migraine are more likely to have below average school performance than kids who do not have headaches, according to new research published in the October 30, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study of 5,671 Brazilian children ages 5 to 12 found that those with migraine were 30 percent more likely to have below average school performance than those with no headaches.

"Studies have looked at the burden of migraine for adolescents, but less work has been done to determine the effect of migraine on younger children," said study author Marcelo E. Bigal, MD, PhD, of Merck & Co. in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.

For the study, the students' teachers provided information on students' performance that was the same information provided to educational boards. Teachers also completed a validated questionnaire screening for emotional and behavioral problems and interviewed parents with a questionnaire covering medical history, headaches and other information.

The study found that 0.6 percent of the children had chronic migraine, or migraine on 15 or more days per month, 9 percent had episodic migraine, and 17.6 percent had probable migraine, which meant they met all but one of the criteria for migraine and did not meet the full criteria for any other type of headache syndrome.

The link between migraine and poor performance in school was even stronger for children with migraines that were more severe, lasted longer, or for children with chronic migraine, as well as for those who also had emotional or behavioral problems.

"With approximately one-fourth of school-age children having headaches with migraine features, this is a serious problem, especially for those with frequent, severe attacks that do not subside quickly," Bigal said. "Parents and teachers need to take these headaches seriously and make sure children get appropriate medical attention and treatment."

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Study: Students who sacrifice sleep to study have academic issues

A new study shows that high school students who stay up late to study and lose sleep do not perform as well academically the next day.

Regardless of how much a high school student generally studies each day, if that student sacrifices sleep in order to study more than usual, he or she is more likely to have academic problems the following day. Because students tend to increasingly sacrifice sleep time for studying in the latter years of high school, this negative dynamic becomes more and more prevalent over time.

Those are the findings of a new longitudinal study that focused on daily and yearly variations of students who sacrifice sleep to study. The research was conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and appears in the journal Child Development.

"Sacrificing sleep for extra study time is counterproductive," says Andrew J. Fuligni, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences and a senior scientist at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, who worked on the study. "Academic success may depend on finding strategies to avoid having to give up sleep to study, such as maintaining a consistent study schedule across days, using school time as efficiently as possible, and sacrificing time spent on other, less essential activities."

For 14 days in each of the 9th, 10th, and 12th grades, 535 students from several Los Angeles-area high schools reported in diaries how long they studied, how long they slept, and whether or not they experienced two academic problems—they didn't understand something taught in class or they did poorly on a test, quiz, or homework. The students represented a mix of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.

Although the researchers expected that extra hours of studying that ate into sleep time might create problems in terms of students' understanding of what they were taught in class, they were surprised to find that diminishing sleep in order to study was actually associated with doing more poorly on a test, quiz, or homework (the opposite of the students' intent).

"As other studies have found, our results indicated that extra time spent studying cuts into adolescents' sleep on a daily basis, and it is this reduced sleep that accounts for the increase in academic problems that occurs after days of increased studying,"

Fuligni explained. "Although these nights of extra studying may seem necessary, they can come at a cost." Fuligni said the study's findings do not suggest that teens should spend less time studying overall, but that those teens who give up sleep to study more than usual are more likely to have academic problems the following day.

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Sleepiness at School May Be Tied to Learning Problems

Interesting that the writer finally indicates that EDUCATORS mare good resources judge daytime sleepiness. Of course! JR

Sleepiness at School May Be Tied to Learning Problems

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on May 4, 2012

In a new study, researchers learned that when parents described a child as presenting with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), even though clinical tests show them sleeping long enough at night, the child was apt to have a learning, attention or behavioral problem.

Investigators learned that despite little indication of short sleep from traditional measurements, EDS was more likely to occur in children who were experiencing learning, attention/hyperactivity and conduct problems.

Researchers believe a variety of factors contribute to EDS in this cohort. Investigators posit obesity, symptoms of inattention, depression and anxiety, asthma and parent-reported trouble falling asleep were contributory factors to EDS even among children with no signs of diminished sleep time or sleep apnea.

“Impairment due to EDS in cognitive and behavioral functioning can have a serious impact on a child’s development,” said Susan Calhoun, Ph.D., the study’s lead author....

Calhoun says that parents and educators are good resources for determining if a child seems excessively sleepy in the daytime and the complaint should be taken seriously.

Fifteen percent of children normally have EDS, although this study suggests the percent is higher among children with learning, attention and behavior problems.

Full article HERE