Some rare sleep disorders only affect young children, while there are some disorders that are truly equal opportunity offenders. If your child seems to have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep it may simply be that he or she doesn’t want to miss any of the fun and resents having to take time out to sleep.
On the other hand, when it is obvious that your child truly wants to get some sleep, but just can’t seem to get any quality sleep at all, then there is a chance that your child may be suffering from a sleep disorder. If your child’s sleep disorder is considered rare then it may be a little more difficult to find proper treatment for your child.
Rest assured, however, that there are plenty of sleep experts who have spent a lot of time researching childhood sleep disorders – no matter how rare – and therefore there is someone out there who knows how to treat your child effectively.
Sleep disorders among children are often a product of a behavioral issue. The child is not compelled to get to sleep at a proper hour or is not disciplined when he or she continually gets out of bed and plays instead of sleeping.
When this behavior becomes acceptable, it is probable that bad sleeping habits will form and develop into a sleeping disorder commonly referred to by experts as Behavioral Insomnia in Children. This is not rare, and is treated relatively easily with a little discipline from parents.
If the child has parents who enforce a proper bedtime and adequate sleep for the child, however, other sleep problems that arise may merit medical intervention. When a child stops breathing for short periods of time, or breathes at sporadic intervals during sleep, this is a rare sleep disorder that should be treated quickly.
If a child awakens night after night screaming in terror, this goes beyond mere childhood nightmares and needs to be evaluated by a doctor or sleep specialist. The goal is to allow a child to get a good night’s sleep so he or she can rest and grow like other children. Without a full night’s sleep, some children have a hard time learning or even staying physically well.
Parents should be advised that not all treatments for rare sleep disorders are pleasant. Some children may have to stay a night in laboratory for a sleep study, and although most institutions attempt to make the room as pleasant as possible there is still the chance that the child will be scared of a different environment.
Some rare sleep disorders merit breathing machines and other implementations, and while these tactics are important and designed to make sure the child breathes normally through the night, they can still be frightening for children.
For these reasons, parents must work hard to make sure that the child is informed throughout the entire process (as much as the child can understand depending on age) and the parents stay present whenever possible during evaluations and treatments.
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