Insomnia/Sleeplessness Variation

You said that your child has problems falling asleep at bedtime. You may also notice that your child wakes up at night and has a hard time going back to sleep. His/her sleep problems may only happen when s/he has a cold or is sick. Sometimes stressful things make it hard for children to fall asleep.

Some examples are:

• Starting school
• Parents' divorce
• Death in the family
• Moving to a new home
• Switching child care centers/schools
• Bad dreams
• Worries or fears

You may also have said that your child has leg pains or leg cramps at bedtime. Sometimes called "growing pains," these aches may make it hard for your child to fall asleep. They may cause your child to want to get up and walk around. You said that your child is not having any trouble at home or school because of these sleep problems. Most children your child's age have trouble falling asleep once in a while.

Warning Signs that things are getting worse:

• Your child starts having trouble falling asleep even when s/he is not sick.
• Your child is so tired during the day that this begins to cause problems for him/her. Your child may have problems staying awake at school or seem more irritable or tired.
• Your child's problems with falling asleep at night are so bad that you are not getting enough sleep at night. This makes it hard for you to get through your day.

If you think these problems are getting worse talk to your child's doctor, even if you have discussed these things before.

Adapted in part from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Primary Care (DSM-PC) (1996).