Sleep Behavior & Sleep-Onset Issues
Nighttime sleep behaviors such as night terrors, insomnia, and bedtime resistance can significantly affect a child's sleep quality and overall well-being. These challenges may lead to restless nights, resulting in daytime fatigue, irritability, difficulty focusing, and even delays in learning or development. Over time, poor sleep can interfere with a child’s growth, immune function, and mental health.
At Child Neurology & Consultants of Austin, our compassionate and experienced team is dedicated to helping families manage a wide range of sleep-related behavioral issues. By using tailored strategies and expert care, we aim to improve your child’s sleep and support their overall health and development.
Insomnia in children refers to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, leading to inadequate rest and daytime challenges. It can stem from stress, anxiety, irregular sleep schedules, certain medications, or medical conditions like ADHD or asthma.
Symptoms of insomnia in children:
- Trouble falling asleep.
- Frequent nighttime awakenings
- Waking up too early
- Daytime tiredness or irritability
To diagnose insomnia, our doctors may review your child’s sleep history, and lifestyle habits, and conduct a physical exam. Sleep studies or actigraphy may be recommended in some cases.
Treatment often includes creating a consistent bedtime routine, cognitive-behavioral therapy for sleep, or addressing any underlying conditions. When needed, short-term use of medications may be considered.
Bedtime resistance and nighttime awakenings in children refer to difficulties with settling down for sleep or waking frequently during the night. These issues can result from inconsistent bedtime routines, separation anxiety, overstimulation before bed, or underlying medical conditions like sleep apnea or reflux.
Symptoms of bedtime resistance and nighttime awakenings:
- Refusal or delay in going to bed.
- Frequent requests for attention or items (like water or another story)
- Waking multiple times during the night
- Daytime fatigue or behavioral challenges
To diagnose these sleep issues, our dedicated team may evaluate your child’s sleep environment, habits, and medical history. Keeping a sleep diary or conducting a sleep study may also be recommended.
Treatment typically involves creating a structured bedtime routine, addressing any anxieties, modifying environmental factors, and, if necessary, managing underlying medical conditions. These strategies work together to support healthier sleep patterns and improve your child’s mood and energy during the day.
Nightmares and night terrors are sleep disturbances that can affect children’s sense of security and restfulness. Nightmares are vivid, unsettling dreams that often cause children to wake up feeling scared. Night terrors, on the other hand, occur during deep sleep and involve sudden episodes of intense fear, crying, or screaming, often without the child fully waking up. These disturbances can result from stress, overtiredness, irregular sleep schedules, or even genetic factors.
Symptoms of nightmares and night terrors:
- Waking up scared or upset from a bad dream (nightmares)
- Screaming, thrashing, or appearing panicked during sleep (night terrors)
- Difficulty calming down after an episode.
- Fatigue, irritability, or sleep disruption the next day
To diagnose these sleep-related issues, our physicians may review your child’s sleep habits, family history, and stress levels. A sleep diary or, in rare cases, a sleep study may help identify triggers.
Treatment typically includes maintaining a consistent bedtime routine, reducing stress, and ensuring adequate sleep. For persistent cases, professional guidance or therapy may be recommended to address underlying concerns.
Treatment for Night Terrors in Children in Austin, TX
Help your child enjoy their bedtime routine instead of dreading it. Call Child Neurology & Consultants of Austin at (512) 494-4000 or request an appointment now. We look forward to serving you at one of our three convenient locations in Central Austin, Cedar Park, or South Austin.
