Children can suffer from the same types of sleep disorders that adults do, but children with sleep disorders often have difficulty explaining to a parent that something is wrong. The Sleep Center at New River Medical Center can diagnose and treat children who are as young as two.
Children with sleep disorders may show behaviors such as excitability, irritability, difficulty staying focused on tasks or school activities, and poor attention span. Children with upper airway restriction may not snore like adults, instead they may have raspy breathing or sound congested while sleeping. In some cases, a child's symptoms of sleep disorder mirror symptoms often associated with attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Proper diagnosis is a necessary first step to assure that symptoms are treated properly.
If a Sleep Center patient is a minor (under the age of 18), a parent or legal guardian must stay with the patient at the Sleep Center during the entire testing procedure. The parent/guardian stays with the patient in their room. A recliner or spare bed is available for the adult. The following is a list of common signs and symptoms of sleep disorders in children:
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Hyperactive behavior
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Snoring - loud, squeaky or raspy
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Nocturnal snorting, gasping, choking
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Restless sleep
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Heavy irregular breathing
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Excessive sweating during sleep
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Severe bedwetting
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Bad dreams, nightmares
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Night terrors
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Difficulty concentrating
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Chest pulls in during sleep
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Sleeps in strange positions
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Confusion upon awakening
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Morning headaches
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Unrefreshing sleep
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Excessive daytime sleepiness
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High blood pressure
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Weight issues
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Learning problems
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Excessive irritability
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Change in personality
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Depression
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Difficulty concentrating
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Frequent upper respiratory infections
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Failure to thrive or grow
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Sleep walking
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Frequent awakenings
Click here for a printable sleep questionnaire to learn if your child may have signs and symptoms of a sleep disorder.