Teen Sleep Issues - Back to School Considerations

The big game is coming - that is, the first day of school! I recommend that parents start shifting bedtimes now so there are no surprises as we get back to school. JR

This article discusses effects of sleep deprivation on teens and adolescents. This is very important to address with school starting back up.

Is your adolescent yawning during the day and struggling to fall asleep at night? 

Is your child persistently late for school or falling asleep in class? 

The problem could easily be not enough sleep. 

Is your adolescent impulsive, hyperactive, irritable, unfocused and performing poorly in school? Again, not enough sleep?

At least nine hours of “quality” sleep or more is optimal for children ages 13-18, according to Sarah Morsbach Honaker, Ph.D., a pediatric behavior sleep medicine specialist at the University of Louisville School of Medicine who spoke Thursday at the American Psychological Association Convention in Orlando. 

That number goes up the younger the child.

Sleep deprivation is a common adolescent diagnosis because teens stay up late then oversleep, which exacerbates the problem because they literally have less time in the light. “They delay the Circadian Sleep Rhythm because they don’t get light exposure until they wake up,” Dr. Honaker explained.

Pediatric sleep apnea is also problematic where poor quality of sleep interrupts the REM phase and disrupts how the child functions when awake, often mimicking ADHD characteristics, she adds.

Interventions like going to bed early enough on weeknights to get nine hours of sleep are challenging, when biologically teens aren’t tired until 10 or 11 p.m. and high school schedules have them up and out sometimes before the sun comes up.

 Or, convincing your child to shut down electronics an hour before bedtime and creating a calming environment with music, reading, or puzzles. Even a little before bed conversation with family members has been shown to help.
 Imagine that. “The blue light from electronic screens sends strong signals to the brain suppressing melatonin and inhibiting sleep,” she says. “Instead of TV, games or Internet surfing, experiment with other before bed activities to promote readiness for a good night’s sleep.”

If you notice your child operates well with a summer schedule and falls apart during the school year then seeing a sleep professional in advance could be helpful to realign the Circadian rhythm. “The first line of treatment is behavioral intervention,” Dr. Honaker says. “Light therapy, sleep scheduling, and melatonin pills are others. 

Sleep medications are not approved by the FDA for use by children and adolescents.”

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Three Things You Should Know About Concussions

Concussions have become a hot topic of discussion with the recent head traumas seen throughout the NFL in the 2011 season. It is estimated that approximately 400,000 concussions related to sports are reported on the high school level each year. These concussions are reported in four female sports and five mail sports. It is believed, however, that this figure should be much higher. Concussions can significantly impact the athlete, especially the child and teen athlete. There are three facts that every child and teen athlete need to know to help protect themselves.

Helmets are Not Foolproof

Helmets are extremely important because they lessen a blow's impact and help to prevent skull fractures. However, people have sustained concussions when wearing a helmet because they do not prevent the brain from sliding and hitting the skull. Because of this, athletes and their coaches need to educate about how to tackle so that it lessens the chance of injuring the other athlete.

Physical Rest is Not Enough to Recover

Child and teen athletes certainly need physical rest after sustaining a concussion, but this is just not enough. This is even true for professional athletes. Concussions can take a long time to recover from, even months in some cases. Just look at Cleveland Browns' quarterback Colt McCoy. When recovering, athletes should refrain from all risky activities to prevent the chance of a second concussion occurring when they are still recovering from the first. Also, athletes need to rest mentally. If the athlete is having difficulty doing mental activities, such as reading or concentrating, more mental rest is necessary. This is a brain injury, so both physical and mental rest are equally important in leading to a total recovery.

Not all Concussions Cause Unconsciousness

It is a common misconception that all concussions cause the person to pass out. However, about 90 percent of the time, the person does maintain consciousness. This is why it is so critical for all head injuries to be evaluated by a medical doctor immediately after sustaining the injury. Athletes should also follow the motto: when in doubt, sit it out. It is always better to be on the safe side when it comes to concussions and head injuries.

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November is Epilepsy Awareness Month - Get Seizure Smart

Do you know what to do?
Find out How Seizure Smart You Are and Take the Quiz!

This November, for National Epilepsy Awareness Month, the Epilepsy Foundation is asking everyone to Get Seizure Smart about seizure first aid, recognition and types. Epilepsy affects people of all ages and races, and represents one percent of the population in this country—nearly 3 million people...

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/neam/