The Top Three Most Common Sleeping Problems in Children

Have you ever had sleeping problems as a kid? If yes, you might find out if you have one or more of the three most common sleeping disorders in children. These disorders are insomnia, sleep apnea, and delayed phase sleep syndrome (DPSS).

Insomnia

Insomnia is when you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early. According to the most recent talk about insomnia on the U.S.news page, “About 20% to 25% of school-aged children have insomnia symptoms, understood as difficulties falling or staying asleep,” stated by Fernandez-Mendoza. Among adolescents, that number rises to between 35% to 40%. Some kids with insomnia may experience fatigue, tiredness, and sleepiness from morning to noon, as well as concentration or memory impairments. 

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is a common condition where your breathing stops and restarts many times while you sleep. This can prevent your body from getting enough oxygen. According to SleepFoundation.org, “exactly 1% to 5% of children experience OSA. In children, common causes include enlarged tonsils, obesity, and certain dental conditions. Most of these children have mild symptoms, and many outgrow the condition. Consequences of untreated obstructive sleep apnea include attention-deficit disorder, behavior problems, poor academic performance, and cardiopulmonary disease. 

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome, also known as DSPS, is a problem with your internal body clock. If you have DSPS, you can’t fall asleep at a socially acceptable bedtime. Instead, your sleep is delayed by at least two hours. This happens even when you’re tired. According to Healthline, DSPS is common. It can develop at any age but mostly affects teenagers and younger adults. Approximately 15 percent of adolescents and adults have DSPS. Causes of DSPS are being confined to bed for an extended period, lack of exposure to light, poor sleeping habits, changes after puberty, genetics, and damage to the brain, such as from injury, stroke, or degenerative disease. Some symptoms of DSPS are consistently taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty waking up, difficulty falling asleep, and fatigue and irritability during the day, even after getting seven or eight hours of sleep. 

Hopefully, this essay helped you figure out if you have any of these three sleeping disorders. Did you have any of these problems when you were younger? 

About the Author

Mikaela is an 11 year old Grade 6 student. Currently being homeschooled, she's exploring her interest in writing through Bubots. She also loves swimming, doodling, and talking with her friends. She wants to be a preschool teacher someday.

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