KZN#27

KIDS
8 Serious Signs And Symptoms
Of Insomnia In Toddlers
R
emember the time
when you tossed
and turned in bed,
but still couldn’t
manage to sleep?
Insomnia can be
frustrating in many
ways, and can
literally drain your
energy. Imagine
your toddler facing
the same! Yes,
insomnia can affect
toddlers too, and is
a rather important
health concern
that needs to be
handled carefully.
Keep reading to
know more about
insomnia in toddlers,
its possible
causes, and know
if your toddler too, could be
affected by it.
What Is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a general
term used to denote the inability
to sleep. Some sleep
specialists believe that toddlers
may be affected by one
of the two major types of
insomnia- sleep onset association
insomnia or limit
setting insomnia.
Sleep onset association
insomnia is most commonly
observed in children under 5
years of age, and is characterized
by interruptions in
sleep during the night. Children
affected by this disorder
wake up 10-12 times in
the night and then fall back
asleep.
Limit setting insomnia is
usually observed in children
older than 5 years, and such
children tend to prolong
bedtime by different possible
means such as demanding
a glass of water or asking
for an explanation of
what happens when the toilet
flushes. (1)
Common Causes Of
Insomnia In Toddlers:
Stress: Stress isn’t just for
adults, many toddlers too,
can be prone to stress, particularly
toddlers who have
just started playschool and
are learning to adapt themselves
to the new environment.
In some cases, the
arrival of a new sibling, job
changes, moving and shifting,
death in the family, illness
of a family member or
marital and financial problems
may also cause stress
in toddlers, which may in
turn, affect the sleep quality.
Environmental Conditions:
The lack of a comfortable
atmosphere can
also affect the ability of the
toddler to sleep well. Heat,
noise, light conditions, tough
mattresses and other environmental
factors may trigger
an inability to sleep.
Medical Conditions: Conditions
such as asthma,
stuffy nose, skin allergies
such as eczema and other
pre-existing health problems
such as growing pains,
heartburn, fibromyalgia,
muscle cramps etc can
also cause insomnia in toddlers.
Psychiatric conditions
such as mental retardation,
Asperger’s syndrome,
autism, bipolar disorder and
depression may also cause
sleep troubles in toddlers.
Medications: Insomnia
can also be a side effect
of the use of certain medications
such as those prescribed
to tackle attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder,
corticosteroids, antidepressants
and anticonvulsants.
Other Factors: The consumption
of clear soda, fizzy
drinks and caffeine rich
drinks such as tea and coffee
can also be the cause of
insomnia in toddlers. (2)
[ Read: Ways To Make Your
Toddler Sleep Well ]
Signs And Symptoms Of
Insomnia In Toddlers:
The toddler insomnia
symptoms can be identified
by observing your toddler
closely.Some common
symptoms he may present
include:
• Difficulty falling
asleep after being put
to bed
• Chronically tired
• Groggy and distracted
most of the time
• Erratic behavior
• Moody
• Hyperactivity (in
some cases)
• Inability to go back to
sleep once awake
• Waking up early in
the morning or in the
night (3)
Kzn Lifestyle Magazine • Issue 27
9