Children with Difficulty Sleeping

Specialists of the Jefferson Sleep Disorders Center care for children ages 3 and up with:

• Behavioral insomnia – difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep, often with prolonged crying
• Narcolepsy – daytime sleepiness and sleep attacks
• Sleep apnea syndrome – disrupted breathing that leads to frequent breaks in sleep
• Sleep-related rhythmic movement disorder – involves repeated body movements while drowsy or asleep, often seen as head banging, body rocking and head rolling
• Sleep enuresis (bedwetting) – involuntary urination in children over 5 or 6 years old
• Sleep-rated fear – fears of monsters, robbers, the dark and shadows
• Other sleeping conditions and disorders

When Your Child Undergoes a Sleep Study

If your child is undergoing a sleep study at the Jefferson Sleep Disorders Center, our staff is willing to accommodate a parent's or caregiver's needs to feel as comfortable as possible during the overnight stay. If you'd like to stay in the room with your child, we can provide a cot or recliner to sleep on. If you prefer to sleep in an adjacent room, we will offer you a wireless baby monitor so that you can hear your child should he or she need you.

Signs of Sleeping Difficulty in Children

Your child may have a sleeping difficulty if he or she exhibits any of the following behaviors:

• Falling asleep in class
• Poor school performance
• Mood changes
• Diminished socialization
• Behavioral problems
  • Non-compliance
  • Aggression
  • Hyperactivity
  • Poor impulse control
• Family disruption

It's important that you give your child as much control over their sleeping situation as possible and provide constant praise and positive feedback during their therapy.