Insomnia In Children Usually Has Very Obvious Triggers
- By:Muna wa Wanjiru
Though we are used with adults suffering from sleeping disorders on a more frequent basis, insomnia in children is not rare or less severe at all. If your child wakes up several times over night, he or she seems pale and still tired in the morning, you may have to look into the problem a little further and see whether he or she doesn't suffer from a sleeping disorder. Unlike with adults, where the causes are sometimes more difficult to identify, insomnia in children usually has very obvious triggers. An upset tummy, a cold, asthma, stress, fear of darkness or nightmares are among the most common issues associated with insomnia in children.
As strange as it may seem, there are stress also affect our little ones: family, friends or school are all good reasons to make a child uneasy or worry. Once you have excluded a possible physiological cause for insomnia in children, you'll have to take into consideration the more profound issues that may affect him or her. Thus, pay more attention to the things the kid asks you, these actually include clues about the bothering element that keeps him or her awake at night or causes bad dreams. Talking to children, offering them unconditioned support during such times is essential in order to make sure that no aggravation of the condition comes up.
A set schedule actually prevents the risk of insomnia in children; by putting the children to bed the same time every night, you create a healthy sleeping pattern that allows the mind to trigger sleep after a certain hour. Furthermore, it could be a problem if your child is used to falling asleep by listening to a tape, as when he or she wakes up over night, there will be no soothing sound in the room, and the impossibility to resume the cycle becomes impossible. Such cases are not at all unusual since we all wake up at night and unconsciously recognize our surroundings, if there is something strange in the pattern we have to adjust it in order to be able to sleep again.
One other thing you could do in order to prevent insomnia in children is to watch over their meals and eliminate all possible nervous stimulants from dinner. Thus, don't give kids chocolate, coke or other irritating foods in the evening; light meals are equally good for both the little ones and the adults alike. Warm milk with honey, tea, fresh fruit juice are also good. However, such drinks should be served at least two hours before going to bed, otherwise, the children will wake up over night so as to pee. With every break in the cycle there may be a breach for insomnia in children, so better avoid any waking up as much as possible!
About the author:
Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Insomnia for Years. For More Information on Insomnia In Children, Visit His Site at INSOMNIA IN CHILDREN