Family & Consumer Sciences

You may have heard of sleep disorders in adults, but children can suffer from them too. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute reports that children and teens both need about nine hours of sleep per night. When they fail to get this amount consistently, they develop what is known as "sleep debt."

With sleep debt, children and teens have decreases in performance, concentration, reaction time and ability to organize new information at home and at school. They are more likely to forget things, have an accident or be injured, and exhibit behavior and mood problems. Some children have actually been diagnosed with Attention Deficient Disorder, when in reality they were just not getting enough sleep. Inadequate sleep can negatively affect their grades, their skill at sports, and their relationships with others.

Your child may have a sleep disorder if they:

· snore loudly often or all the time;

· stop breathing for short periods while sleeping; and/or

· have problems staying awake during the day.

Talk to your family doctor or pediatrician if your child has these symptoms.

Even if a child does not have a formal sleep disorder, he may just not be getting enough sleep. Here are some tips that may help your child sleep better:

· Set a regular bedtime and stick to it, even on weekends.

· Establish a relaxing bedtime routine, such as a warm bath or reading a bedtime story. Television right before bed often is too stimulating.

· Encourage quiet, relaxing activities after supper. Too much high-energy activity near bedtime can keep a child awake.

· Avoid big meals near bedtime.

· Stop the caffeine at least six hours before bedtime. That includes soft drinks, tea and chocolate.

· Keep the bedroom at a comfortable temperature.

· Darken the room. If the child is afraid, use a small nightlight.

· Keep the noise level low.

For more information on child development, contact Diane at (912) 871-0504 or dianem@uga.edu.