How Parents Can Treat Children Suffering from Insomnia
Normally insomnia is considered to be a condition suffered only by adults. However many children are suffering from insomnia as well. Parents fail to set bedtime for their children. Many children use drugs and drink alcohol which can cause insomnia. Children stay up late playing video games, using the computer, and talking to friends on cell phones. Many children are hyper and/or suffer from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) which makes it hard for them to fall asleep. Some children are just restless and do not like to go to bed when they are told.
Sometimes the life style and behavior of parents can cause insomnia in children. Parents staying up late playing loud music, smoking, drinking, and entertaining company can disturb a child's rest. A child's rest can be disturbed by the drug activity, the smoke and fumes from drug uses and drug making, of parents. Some parents even impose their adult life style on their children.
the main treatment for insomnia is conventional medication. Children are commonly prescribed antidepressants to treat their insomnia, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. However, putting children on such medications can create addiction to prescription drugs and lead to other drug addictions. This can cause a greater problem than insomnia.
Concerned parents who do not want their children on medications can treat their children's insomnia with good nutrition and life style changes.
Good Nutrition
A deficiency in the following minerals and vitamins can cause insomnia.
Calcium: It has sedative effect on the body. Deficiency causes restlessness and wakefulness
Magnesium: It can help induce sleep. Deficiency causes nervousness that prevents sleep.
Vitamin B6 and B12: They have a calming effect on nerves.
Inositol: It enhances sleep.
The diet of children consists of fast food, process foods, and junk foods. These foods lack the vitamins and minerals needed to prevent insomnia. Parents should include fresh, unprocessed foods, such as fresh produce and whole grains, containing these vitamins and minerals in their children's diet. Parents should also consider giving their children supplements containing these vitamins and minerals.
Life Style Changes
In addition to changing their children's diet, parents should also change their children's life style in an attempt to cure them of insomnia.
Set Bed Time
Parents should set a bed time for their children and enforce it. 8:00PM is too early for children to go to bed. A bed time set at 9:30PM would be a better time. 9:30PM is not too late, and it is not too early. Wake up time should be set at 6:30AM so the children would get a full 8 hours of sleep, a reasonable sleeping time. Parents should also go to bed at the same time as their children. This action sets a good example for the children and discourages them from wanting to stay up late.
Children Activities
Parents should limit their children's extra curricular activities during the school year. Extra curricular activities consume a lot of early afternoon time that children should spend studying and doing homework. Children involved in more than one extra curricular activity stay up late to complete homework which takes away time from sleeping. So if parents notice that extra curricular activities are affecting their children's rest, they should withdraw them from the activities.
Video Games and Computers
Parents should not allow children to play video games on week days during the school year. Once a child starts playing a video game it is nearly impossible for the child to stop. So parents should set rules that video games can only be played on weekends for a period of time lasting no more than two hours during the day time. During summer vacations children can be allowed to play video games during the weekends but only for a reasonable period of time during the day.
During the school year parents should limit their children's computer time for only completing homework. Computer use should not be allowed late at night.
Parents should not allow their children to have video games and computers in their rooms so they will not be tempted to stay up late at night.
Many children suffer from insomnia, unfortunately. However, they can get over the condition with the supervision of their parents. Parents must put their children on a healthy diet and they must overseer their children's life style to make sure they get the proper rest. If food and life style changes are not enough to help a child overcome insomnia, the parent should consult a physician for medical treatment.
Published by F.D. Beckham
I spent my childhood in Texas and Washington state. I continue to reside in Western Washington. I have a degree in accounting, but now I am pursuing a new career in writing. I have recently completed my firs... View profile
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8 Comments
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As adults, we sometimes forget that children have stress too. 80% of insomnia is stress related. Children with insomnia have a lower memory retention, have more of a difficulty learning, and have a tendency to be hyperactive. The solution is normally dangerous pharmaceuticals for insomnia and the other issues that arise. Sleep tests can monitor brain activity and breathing, but is does not answer the question WHY. Increased stress on the body leads to higher hormone levels, which adversely affect the body in many different ways. I highly recommend an All Natural liquid product that is endorsed and formulated by the world-renowned Dr. Deepak Chopra called Zrii. I have 5 year old, 3 year old, and 4 month old who take it each and every single day (my monthly expense is about $65). It tastes great, and with their healthy sleep, my wife and I have more energy as well! This is not a sales ploy- this product has helped so many others I work with and the company offers a 30 Day Risk F
Actually, most children need 9-10 hours of sleep, and 9:30 PM is too late to take advantage of the natural wind down that occurs in the body 6 and 8 PM. Check your facts and stop selling your judgmental advice as fact.
The list about what mineral/vitamin deficiencies was definitley helpful, and I will look into appropropriate supplements for my 8 year old beyond a multi-vitamin. However, any parent actually reading this article probably is not a drug-using alcholic who let's their kids party, play video games and watch TV all night. The reason I'm here is because the basics of a night-time routine, no TV, no computer, etc, etc is NOT working.
People added comments without even reading the article! Then they accuse the author of being judgmental?! Amazing! The number of times the author uses "should" (which is a fine English word, anyway) = zero, zip, nada, never.
I didn't take much away from this article. It was full of judgmental attitude, the word should, and unscientific advice. We have had set routines since infancy, our son has a good diet, there have been no changes in our family for over two years and it was a change in job for my husband. We have a good marriage and go to bed early, 9;30 every night, the kids go to bed at 830 and are asleeep by 9pm, but in past 6 months my 8 yr old has been waking up between 2-4am and can not go back to sleep. Every child has a need for varying levels of sleep, 8 hours is enough for most, not all adults, but not for most children. Your attitude is not helpful, nor is the generic information you serve up as advice.
my daughter and grandson came to live with my husband and I several months ago...after a bread down in our daughters marriage..our grand son is perfectly hapy here with us, his parents are friendly, and our granson see's his father when ever he wants...recently our grandson find it impossible to get to sleep at night..my daughter allowed his to watch his TV. or play on video games until very late..but now schoolhas started again he can't seem to sleep.. i've tried everything but he just gets upset which makes matters worse..can you help?
It's interesting the number of times this writer says should. It's as though the article were written by the child. The whole article is common sense more than actual advise and where is the authority behind it. Shouldn't we back up what we write by sighting the studies from which we get out information. Insomnia is sometimes more than bad parenting and happens for children in families with good parenting. What a joke!