The phrase “sleeping like a baby” has long been used to indicate that a person is sleeping soundly. Sleep disorders have traditionally been thought of as adult problems. But a growing field of research is showing that many children also have sleep disorders that require treatment.

While sleep is important for everyone, it is especially important for children to sleep well. According to Terry Brown, DO, Medical Director of Sleep Disorders Center at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital, deep sleep, when people are the hardest to wake up, is when the growth hormone is secreted. “Kids have to grow and we don’t want anything interfering with their sleep. They need this growth hormone,” said Brown.

Brown noted that sleep specialists are beginning to connect sleep disorders to other problems that children may have. He cited research showing a connection between Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Periodic Limb Movements, a condition where people kick their legs during sleep, rhythmically, about every 20 to 40 seconds. “It doesn’t wake them up, but it fragments their sleep. It’s sort of chopping their sleep up a little bit and that may be the mechanism by which it could be connected to Attention Deficit Disorder,” said Brown.

While primary ADD is a disorder in its own right, this type of ADD is secondary, meaning that it may be caused by other factors such as a sleep problem.

Another reason a child may experience trouble sleeping is due to enlarged tonsils. “When you look in their airway and ask them to say aahh, their tonsils come together and there’s space between them. When we go to sleep all of our airways narrow a little bit,” explained Brown.

Sometimes enlarged tonsils need to be removed. But some children have enlarged tonsils because they are overweight. “Some are so overweight their airways get narrow from the fat inside their throats,” said Brown.

Many treatments are available for children with a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea can be treated with CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), a device that keeps the airways open during the night.

Diet and exercise are also a big part of treatment when obesity is a factor. “If kids can get a little exercise and eliminate the carbohydrates that come in packages or boxes – or eliminate the sugar colas, sometimes that’s all it takes,” said Brown. In fact, children who learn to control their weight are much less likely to need CPAP as they grow older.

Signs parents should look for that may indicate their child is having a sleep problem include: falling asleep in class; lack of attention in class; complaints about waking with a headache and nighttime snoring.

Brown also noted that parents should listen for apneas while their children are sleeping. “Sometimes it’s called decrescendo snoring. There’s snoring, then silence. They wake up, and then snore again – but it’s a short wake up – they don’t remember it. If you hear that sort of pattern, that’s a strong suggestion your child might have sleep apnea.”

The St. Joseph Memorial Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, under the direction of Dr. Brown, is certified to treat sleep disorders in children as young as two years old.