March 27, 2019

Sleep Disorders Affect Children Too: What You Can Do

Help your children get the rest they need

Child awake in bed at night

Many sleep disorders that keep adults up at night and dragging during the day can have the same effect on children and teens.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Pediatric sleep expert Sally Ibrahim, MD, says these sleep disorders can affect your children’s health — and yours, since you care for them. She offers facts on some common childhood sleep disorders and the steps you can take to overcome them.

Insomnia

Insomnia affects children in much the same way it affects adults — except that it’s usually the parent who notices and reports it. Like adults, children may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.

Acute cases can be brought on by stress or illness, but if insomnia lasts longer than a few months, it may be chronic. For milder cases, help your children practice good sleep hygiene. Follow these tips:

  • Set limits, and be firm about bedtime and expectations.
  • Have a regular bedtime routine, and stick to it the best you can. This may result in some pushback from kids — but it will be worth it when it results in better sleep for everyone in your household!
  • Avoid caffeine and reduce sugar intake.
  • Keep electronics out of the bedroom, especially for adolescents and children who cannot regulate their use.
  • Keep the bedroom quiet, cool and dark.
  • For younger kids, give rewards to reinforce desired behaviors.

For difficult cases, talk with your pediatrician. For some children, a consult with a sleep doctor may help. Sometimes a behavioral sleep psychologist is available to help guide insomnia with cognitive behavioral therapy.

Advertisement

Delayed sleep phase syndrome

As if puberty didn’t bring enough worries, it also may throw off a teenager’s sleep-wake cycle. When they have delayed sleep phase syndrome (a circadian rhythm disorder), their biological clock makes them have a tendency to become typical “night owls” — late to bed and late to rise.

This is often mistaken as insomnia at first, but can lead to insomnia if it becomes chronic — or habitual. Here’s what you can do:

  • Teach your teen good sleep hygiene habits.
  • Make sure they avoid caffeine.
  • Limit daytime napping
  • Limit use of electronics at night, especially the use of light.
  • Light can further delay the biological clock and light exposure at night should be avoided. Conversely, having light in the morning helps regulate the clock to wake up, and helps keep the biological rhythm in check. Sometimes using a light box can help.
  • Melatonin at low dosages (less than 1 mg) can also be used to regulate sleep patterns, but talk with your child’s pediatrician about it before having your teen take melatonin. The goal is to readjust your teen’s clock back to a schedule that’s in sync with school and society so they can get to sleep sooner and wake easier.

Sleep apnea

Snoring, disturbed sleep, pauses in breathing while asleep — these symptoms of sleep apnea strike children too. Listen for nasal congestion and heavy breathing when your child sleeps.

On top of the typical adult consequences of sleep apnea, such as mood changes, daytime fatigue and high blood pressure, Dr. Ibrahim says children with sleep apnea may wet the bed. And they may have similar daytime issues to children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as trouble concentrating, poor grades and behavioral issues.

Advertisement

If you suspect sleep apnea, your pediatrician can refer you for a sleep study. The gold standard for diagnosing sleep apnea and knowing how severe it is with a sleep study.

If your child has sleep apnea, the first line therapy is removing the tonsils and adenoids, but there may be other considerations for your child. CPAP, a machine that helps with nighttime breathing, is typically reserved for those who already had their tonsils and adenoids removed or those who don’t have any other surgical options.

The important thing, Dr. Ibrahim says, is to address sleep issues as early as you can for your child. This will help to ensure that they stay healthy and develop positive sleep habits for life.

Related Articles

child runs through sprinkler during summer
August 7, 2023
How To Prevent Your Kids From Getting Sick

Hydration and sleep are as important as avoiding dirty surfaces

Illustration of an alarm clock at three o'clock AM
April 5, 2023
Up at 3 a.m.? Here Are Possible Reasons Why

This common phenomenon is usually harmless, but a consistent sleep-wake schedule can help

Parent and toddler make bed together.
April 3, 2023
When to Transition to a Toddler Bed and Tips for a Smooth Move

Maturity and safety matter more than age

Child and parent meeting with mental health therapist.
February 7, 2023
What To Do and What Not To Do When Your Child Is in Therapy

Be involved in your kid’s care, but be mindful of boundaries

Elder woman hand to head in pain from a headache
February 3, 2023
Here’s Why You’re Always Waking Up With Headaches

If it isn’t a hangover or teeth grinding, your aching head might be a sign of a sleep disorder

Child in dark room huddled under blanket with nightmare ghosts in background.
December 14, 2022
Is Your Kid Having Nightmares? Who Has Them and How You Can Help

Nightmares in children are common and more likely when your child is overtired or stressed

Small child receiving vaccine at doctor's office
November 11, 2022
Well-Check Schedule for Children

These visits include getting important vaccines and checking on developmental milestones

Sleepless child scared of the dark.
November 8, 2022
Is Your Child Afraid of the Dark?

Listen to your child to help them identify their fear and name it, but don’t reinforce it

Trending Topics

group of hands holding different beverages
November 14, 2023
10 Myths About Drinking Alcohol You Should Stop Repeating

Coffee won’t cure a hangover and you definitely shouldn’t mix your cocktail with an energy drink

Person applies moisturizer as part of their skin care routine after a shower.
November 10, 2023
Korean Skin Care Routines: What You Need To Know

Focus on the philosophy — replenishing and respecting your skin — not necessarily the steps

glass of cherry juice with cherries on table
November 8, 2023
Sleepy Girl Mocktail: What’s in It and Does It Really Make You Sleep Better?

This social media sleep hack with tart cherry juice and magnesium could be worth a try

Ad