Sleep-related issues are the biggest complaint parents bring to their children’s pediatricians, according to sleep medicine specialists with Gaylord Hospital.

The first thing to understand is that sleep is not an equal opportunity employer. Sleep needs and issues differ among children and may change at various ages. A good sleep history is key. Parents should keep a diary of their child’s sleep habits, hour by hour, and then review it with a health care provider to uncover the specific issues.

Teenagers Rule

According to a study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers are more likely to complain of being tired during the day than are younger children.

“Our research has shown that biological changes during puberty affect an adolescent’s internal sleep-wake clock. Many adolescents are physiologically not ready to fall asleep until 11 p.m. or later,” explains Mary A. Carskadon, Ph.D., Sleep Research Lab Director at Bradley Hospital/Brown University and National Sleep Foundation Pediatric Council Chair.

While the average teen needs about nine hours of sleep each night, many get less than seven, according to the study.

A frightening figure provided by the National Sleep Foundation and the National Traffic Safety Board shows that 60% of parents who have children old enough to drive say that they have not discussed the dangers of falling asleep at the wheel with their children. Drowsy driving causes at least half of all teen crashes in the United States each year.

Given teenagers’ sense of invincibility, many are not aware of the impact their drowsiness plays on driving ability. “Teens, especially young males, are pushing the envelope when it comes to dangerous, drowsy driving,” says Rochelle Turesky, M.D., a pediatrician who is working on a fellowship in sleep medicine at Gaylord.

Pediatricians need to continue to ask their adolescent patients about their sleep habits, and to include the topic of late-night driving in their pre-college talk about drinking, drugs and safe sex.

The TV Connection

Parents concerned about their childrens’ sleep habits also may consider how much the television is on in the household. A survey of third- through eighth-graders revealed that as the number of hours of television viewing increased each day so did the prevalence of symptoms such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress (Singer MI, et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1998; 37:1041-1048).

The amount of television viewing—especially at bedtime—and having a television set in the child’s bedroom were factors significantly related to the frequency of sleep disturbances found in children in grades K-4, according to a survey reported by Pediatrics (Owens J., et al. Pediatrics. 1999; 104:e27). Nine percent of the parents surveyed reported that their child experienced nightmares related to television viewing at least once a week.

While children are sensitive to and frightened by different things at different ages, media images can produce very real, lingering fears and anxieties in toddlers, teens and young adults. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that children need reassurance when frightened and the encouragement to choose media that will promote rather than disturb their physical and emotional well-being.

The bottom line for all those who care for children is that sleep is a requirement of good health. Every child deserves a good night’s sleep.

For more information on sleep and sleep disorders, check out the National Sleep Foundation's Web Site at www.sleepfoundation.org