Approximately one third of children and adolescents spend their lives asleep. While the amount of sleep is greater in infancy, the amount of sleep decreases as age progresses. There are two sleep periods. These are Rem and Non-Rem sleep periods. REM sleep is the sleep period in which the brain works, dreams are seen, muscles relax, heart rate varies, and constitutes one-fourth of all sleep. Non-Rem sleep is the sleep period that is in the initial phase of sleep, is deep, and the muscles are relaxed, and constitutes four-thirds of the sleep. Non-Rem sleep is the period of sleep in which protein synthesis occurs, that is, growth and development.
A baby born on time sleeps for approximately 16 hours. Sometimes, a long period of time may make families worry that there is something wrong with their baby. Newborn babies wake up every 3-4 hours and usually spend the waking period feeding. Movements such as sucking movements, eye twitching, and facial grimacing can be observed normally in a newborn baby during REM sleep. When babies are 4 months old, their night sleep periods increase to 8 hours, while their daytime sleep periods decrease to 3 hours. Problems during pregnancy and birth, the mother's mental health, and the emotional and temperamental structures of the mother and father are important factors in the sleep development of babies.
Sleep disorders are seen in approximately one third of children in research. Most problems with sleep disorders are difficulty falling asleep and frequent awakenings at night.
During infancy, stomach and intestinal problems, gas pain, conflicts within the family, and other medical diseases negatively affect babies' sleep. Around the age of 2, separation anxiety from the mother may disrupt sleep patterns. With school age, children generally develop resistance to sleep. Among the reasons for this resistance are endless homework, longing for parents. and the desire to spend time with them can include TV and computers. In adolescents, school and course workload, time spent with friends, TV-computer, exam anxiety, private lessons can be listed as reasons that affect sleep patterns.
MAJOR SLEEP DISORDERS
- NIGHTMARES
- NIGHT TERROR (BLACKING)
- NARCOLEPSY
- SLEEPWALKING
- TEOTH GRINTING
NIGHTMARES
Nightmares are bad dreams that cause children to suddenly wake up with fear. It occurs during REM sleep. Children start talking about bad dreams in preschool. The incidence rate in school-age children is approximately 20%. Children wake up scared, want to be comforted, and are under the influence of their dreams. He can clearly explain his dream to his family. He may forget it when he wakes up in the morning. Generally, the theme of bad dreams is related to the child's imagination, the frightening events he experienced during the day, and the games he watched or played. During periods of extreme fever, they may have bad dreams due to the medications they use. When the frequency of bad dreams increases or they affect daily life, they need to be treated
NIGHT TERROR (BLACK PRESSURE)
At the beginning of the night sleep(Non -It is generally seen during the REM period. In studies, it is observed in approximately 4% in children. It usually occurs in the preschool period. When left untreated, it can last 4-5 years. It is more common in boys than girls. Generally, children wake up from their sleep They wake up screaming, their eyes are opened and they look around with confused and frightened eyes. Meanwhile, they do not recognize their parents and are closed to communication. Although their families think they are awake or conscious because their eyes are open, they are not awake. Trying to wake him up may make the situation worse. It can take from approximately 2 minutes to 15 minutes. When they wake up in the morning, they don't remember anything, unlike nightmares. This situation can also be observed in close relatives in the past. It usually goes away on its own during adolescence. Other sleep problems, extreme fatigue, excessive stress, and bad events may be the cause. If it affects the child's daily life and happens very frequently, it is necessary to get help.
NARCOLEPSY
It occurs with sudden unbearable sleep attacks, causing muscle relaxation without loss of consciousness. It is a sleep disorder in which there are falls, inability to move after waking up, and hallucinations before falling asleep. It is not necessary to have all of the things listed above. Families usually notice the situation with sudden sleep attacks. They may suddenly fall to the ground and then continue on their way as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, children may have unreasonable fears. It generally starts in pre-school period and its frequency increases with age. These sleep attacks can last for a few seconds or up to half an hour. They can fall asleep very quickly. Night sleep may also be irregular. A history of narcolepsy is also common in close relatives. It can sometimes be mistaken for nap sleep among the public. Its response to treatment is quite good.
SLEEPWALKING
It is more common in children than in adults. Its frequency decreases with age. Studies show that approximately one in 5 children experience a sleepwalking attack at some point in their lives. Generally sleepwalking It is observed at the beginning of sleep. It takes approximately 15-30 minutes. He usually goes back to bed and sleeps. Sometimes they may find themselves waking up somewhere else in the morning. They don't remember anything in the morning. It begins in the preschool period and is more common in boys. It is also more common in other people in the family. Physical fatigue and stress trigger sleepwalking. His response to treatment is good. Families should take precautions at home during this period to prevent injuries to the child.
TOOTH GRINDING
Although teeth grinding is not a direct sleep disorder, it is one of the common problems seen during sleep. . It can happen at almost any age. It is a common problem in children with anxiety disorders, developmental delays, cerebral palsy, adjustment disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Teeth grinding can occur even in a 1-year-old child. It is observed at approximately equal rates in boys and girls. Sometimes, a change of caregiver, and sometimes even a simple problem that families do not notice, can cause teeth grinding. Sometimes it lasts a very short time and goes away on its own, while sometimes it can even cause melting of children's teeth.
Finding the causes and producing solutions based on these causes gives a positive response in the treatment of teeth grinding.
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