Childhood Insomnia
It has always been thought that insomnia attacks only adults. However, recently it has been found that children too can and tend to suffer from insomnia. This is a condition where the child becomes restless at night, awakens in the morning feeling irritable and becomes very moody. This is a condition of childhood insomnia that is just as miserable as insomnia in adults.
However the main difference, and benefit between children insomnia and adult insomnia is that it is much easier to find the cause of insomnia. So it is important to first find out the cause for the insomnia, eliminate it and pretty soon, you are on the way to curing your child of insomnia.
Just like adults, there is a very good possibility of children suffering from stress at times. This is a major cause of insomnia; so take a look at your child, and look at things through his eyes. Find out if there are any problems in the school or if there is a bully that pesters him down the road. Sometimes even household problems like financial problems and marital problems too add to stress. Though these may seem like trivial matters to us, to children, this is sufficient for them to worry. So try to help them with their problems.
Sometimes a stomach problem that gives upset tummy or constipation to the child can cause childhood insomnia. Examine the eating habits of the child; and if the eating and elimination of food is not done properly, it is better to approach a doctor. Pain is another important reason for childhood insomnia. Children suffer from common problems called growing pains and sometimes even muscle cramps because of a day of sports. This causes discomfort and sleeplessness in the child. Treat the pain with perhaps hot water bag treatment and some over the counter pain relieving medications.
Other reasons for childhood insomnia could be some sleep disorder like sleep apnea and restless legs; children are all victims of these. Even bad dreams, grinding of the teeth, asthma or heartburn and wetting the bed are probable reasons for childhood insomnia. So check out all these probabilities, help the child eliminate it, and soon you will see your child sleep soundly and comfortably like before.
It may be difficult to accept, but children love following routines in their day to day routines. They like going to bed and getting up at the same time. Changes in their routine are a major reason for childhood insomnia. Children are very sensitive about the place where they sleep. They seldom like sleeping anywhere else as they consider their own beds safe and comfortable for them. So a change in place when visiting or changing houses may be a legitimate reason for childhood insomnia.
And if all fails, the age old remedy of fostering some extra love and cuddling helps a lot in making the child get a good night’s sleep. Just holding and rocking the child makes they feel secure from the nightmare that may stop them from sleeping and thus help cure childhood insomnia.