What Are The Common Sleep Problems in Early Childhood?

Children can experience a number of different sleep problems. In fact, problems can occur in the earliest stages of childhood. For instance, an infant could experience separation anxiety and need to cuddle with the mother in the middle of the night. Some toddlers might feel an urge to stretch their arms or legs at night, and this can become problematic if it wakes the toddler up or keeps the toddler up. It can also be problematic if a young child isn’t able to self soothe. This can cause restless leg syndrome or even night terrors.

Not enough sleep time, restless sleep, bedwetting, certain illnesses, some allergies, TMJ (jaw joint) issues, and other issues can become problematic for a child. Sleep apnea is another sleep problem, and it can be more serious than others.

You, as a parent, can look for the aforementioned signs of a sleep problem, such as restless sleep, bedwetting, etc. However, it can be difficult for a parent to determine whether a child has a sleep problem, but this isn’t difficult for a professional to do. Children two and up can have a sleep study done. This is one of the most effective ways to determine if a child could have a sleep disorder.

During a sleep study, the child and a parent stay overnight at a sleep clinic. There, specialists will observe the child’s sleep behaviors and breathing, and with the information gathered, a pediatric sleep doctor can determine whether the child has a sleep problem or disorder like sleep apnea. A professional has other ways of making a determination, so you can be confident that your child will be in good hands.

A sleep problem like night terrors or restless leg syndrome can be addressed by a pediatric sleep doctor like one of ours here at Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders. Sleep apnea and other disorders can be addressed too. For sleep apnea, sleep-disordered breathing, TMJ-related issues, and some other problems, oral appliance therapy can help a lot. This treatment method uses a simple oral insert that can fix many of the conditions that cause sleep problems in the first place. Oral appliance therapy works and is approved by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, so we’re proud to be able to provide it to you here at Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders!

Additionally, our clinic has a program for children with significant sleep disorders like sleep-disordered breathing. This program is the KoalaKIDZzz® program and is for children as young as two years old. In this program, our professionals provide ongoing care and support for these children, and we can include oral appliance therapy as a part of this program for your child.

We’d be very happy to tell you more about this program, oral appliance therapy, and how else we can help your child with his or her sleep. The best way to do this is during a simple meet-and-greet/consultation at Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders. We have many locations in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Texas, and Wisconsin, so please see our Locations page to book with us, or you can call our head office. We look forward to hearing from you soon and helping your child sleep as soundly as he or she deserves to!