Sleep stealers in kids

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A national sleep foundation poll showed more than two out of every three kids ages 10 and under has experienced some type of sleep problem. We take a look at some common sleep stealers parents should know about.

Seven-year-old Manasvi Rajiv can sleep now, but that wasn't always the case.

Manasvi told ABC30, "I was wailing and crying and I was just shaking my legs."

Lewis Milrod, MD, Director of the Pediatric Sleep Center at St. Peter's University Hospital told ABC30, "It is fairly common up to 10 percent of kids will have a sleep disorder of some kind."

Dr. Milrod says sleep disorders in children are often missed or misdiagnosed.

"A lot of kids can be diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder but it could be that the kids are not receiving enough sleep," Dr. Milrod said.

Some physical problems might be to blame. Enlarged tonsils, obesity, allergies, acid reflux, or even a small or recessed jaw may make it hard for kids to sleep. Another common sleep stealer is sleep apnea.

Dr. Milrod told ABC30, "Kids tend to have shallower breathing, what we call hypopneas, so the parents may not realize."

Some children may also suffer from restless legs syndrome, when discomfort in the legs leads to repetitive motions. It's what doctors thought Manasvi had.

Shilpa Rajiv, Manasvi's mom recalled, "We tried to put her back to sleep, she woke up again and she said mom my legs are hurting me, my feet are really hurting me."

But tests showed she actually had an iron deficiency that was causing the leg pain. Now that it's corrected, she sleeps like a baby.

"I'm fine now. There is nothing to complain about my leg," Manasvi said.

Children and adolescents need at least nine hours of sleep per night. Not enough sleep can lead to poor performance at school, injuries, and behavior problems.

For more information, contact:

Phil Hartman
609-532-0204
phartman@saintpetersuh.com