Study: Many Kids Not Getting Their Zs
Is your child sleeping well?
About one in four children don't, but their problems are often missed, according to new research from The American Academy of Sleep Medicine that suggests pediatricians may be under-diagnosing sleep disorders in children.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton discussed the study on The Early Show Monday, and what you can look for and do if you think your child is suffering from a sleep disorder.
The study found only four percent of 150,000 children researched in Pennsylvania, from birth to age 18, were diagnosed with a disorder, which is substantially less than the estimated 25 percent of children who suffer from a sleep disorder in larger studies.
Undiagnosed disorders, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, night terrors, sleepwalking, snoring, grinding teeth, and bedwetting, Ashton said, are all disruptions in sleep that can impact a child's learning, growth and development.
Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith asked Ashton what warning signs indicate sleep problems.
She said children that snore loudly, wake up repeatedly, have mood or school performance changes, or fall asleep during the day may have sleep disorders.
Ashton said if you think your child is suffering from a sleep disorder, you should collect information and observations about your child and bring them to your pediatrician. She added parents should ask if it would be helpful to do a sleep study or a consultation with an ear, nose and throat specialist to check if enlarged tonsils may not be the cause.
"But don't ignore it," Ashton warned. "These things can really have significant impacts on our kids in a very critical time."
Smith asked if obesity has an influence on sleeping disorders.
Ashton said it can be an issue in cases of sleep apnea, but in many cases the problem is behavioral, which many children grow out of as they develop.
To help your child fall asleep, Ashton recommended these tips:
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. About one in four children don't, but their problems are often missed, according to new research from The American Academy of Sleep Medicine that suggests pediatricians may be under-diagnosing sleep disorders in children.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton discussed the study on The Early Show Monday, and what you can look for and do if you think your child is suffering from a sleep disorder.
The study found only four percent of 150,000 children researched in Pennsylvania, from birth to age 18, were diagnosed with a disorder, which is substantially less than the estimated 25 percent of children who suffer from a sleep disorder in larger studies.
Undiagnosed disorders, such as insomnia, sleep apnea, night terrors, sleepwalking, snoring, grinding teeth, and bedwetting, Ashton said, are all disruptions in sleep that can impact a child's learning, growth and development.
Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith asked Ashton what warning signs indicate sleep problems.
She said children that snore loudly, wake up repeatedly, have mood or school performance changes, or fall asleep during the day may have sleep disorders.
Ashton said if you think your child is suffering from a sleep disorder, you should collect information and observations about your child and bring them to your pediatrician. She added parents should ask if it would be helpful to do a sleep study or a consultation with an ear, nose and throat specialist to check if enlarged tonsils may not be the cause.
"But don't ignore it," Ashton warned. "These things can really have significant impacts on our kids in a very critical time."
Smith asked if obesity has an influence on sleeping disorders.
Ashton said it can be an issue in cases of sleep apnea, but in many cases the problem is behavioral, which many children grow out of as they develop.
To help your child fall asleep, Ashton recommended these tips:
- Avoid caffeine in your child's diet
- Emphasizing a bedtime routine
- Make the child's bedroom conducive to sleep with a dark, cool and quiet atmosphere
- Keep television and computers out of the bedroom
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