Recent data indicate that 25% of children under the age of 5 suffer from sleep disturbances (i.e. 1 child in 4) , while after the age of 6 and up to adolescence the percentage drops to around 10-12%.
Sleep disturbances can have negative effects on the health and quality of life of the child and their parents. For example, they can cause drowsiness, inattention, learning difficulties , insufficient or poor impulse control and behavioral changes , risk of obesity, metabolic disorders, etc.
These symptoms represent one of the most frequent reasons for visiting the pediatrician.
But what is meant by sleep disturbance in the baby?
The most common sleep disorders are: insomnia (20-30%), parasomnia (25%), circadian rhythm disturbances (7%), sleep breathing disorders (2-3%), sleep-related movement disorders (1 -2%).
In early childhood, difficulty falling asleep and frequent nocturnal awakenings, parasomnia (for example nocturnal pavor or confusional awakenings) or sleep breathing disorders (for example obstructive apnea syndrome) predominate.
What are the main causes of sleep disturbances in babies?
Multiple factors can coexist, from organic causes to poor sleep hygiene .
Among the former, genetic factors play an important role (studies on twins have shown, for example, a strong genetic influence in insomnia), the order of birth (some studies report a higher frequency of insomnia in firstborn and only children) . Even some inappropriate parental behaviors can favor the onset of sleep disorders in children both in the phase of falling asleep and during nocturnal awakenings : for example the tendency to rush immediately to pick up the child, as well as the habit of sharing of the parents’ bed.
Another very important factor concerns nutrition. In fact, nocturnal awakenings from 6 to 12 months are more frequent in breastfed babies: 52% versus 20% of bottle-fed babies (probably related to demand feeding, more frequent in breastfed babies).
Finally, let us not underestimate the negative impact on the sleep-wake rhythm of the increasingly frenetic lifestyle, the increase in artificial light and the increasingly precocious use of electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.).
What are the consequences of insufficient sleep?
They are many and often misunderstood. In fact, poor sleep quality can lead to various disorders:
- Reduced school performance and learning problems .
- Drowsiness, inattention, impaired working memory , poor impulse controls and behavioral dysregulation
- Risk of accidental trauma
- Obesity and metabolic disorders
Last but not least, it should be considered that the child’s sleep problem can have repercussions on the whole family environment, resulting in poor physical and mental health of the parents, favoring the development of considerable stress.
You can prevent sleep disorders!
Prevention is very important in the first year of life because the wrong habits acquired in this period will make it more difficult to have autonomy in falling asleep even in the following years.
At this stage of childhood it is essential, as parents, to promote proper sleep hygiene . The three golden rules in the first year of life are: let the child always sleep in the same suitably prepared room, avoiding making him fall asleep in different environments; respect the time when you go to bed and from 4 months of life (i.e. from when the phase of falling asleep appears) dissociate the feeding phase from that of sleep, which means detaching it from the breast or bottle when you are about to fall asleep and put it on the bed.
These good habits need to be consolidated as you grow up. Better not to use the tablet or other electronic devices after dinner: as we know, the light of the devices reduces the production of melatonin which favors falling asleep.
What if all this is not enough?
Behavioral techniques should remain the first line of sleep disorder treatment. However, there are other solutions that come to our aid such as natural supplements based on medicinal plants and their extractive derivatives, to be used as adjuvants in the regulation of biological rhythms and to promote relaxation and mental well-being.
Plants with these characteristics are:
Clinical study to evaluate the effect of the Valerian and Melissa combination
A combination study of valerian and lemon balm proved effective in the treatment of insomnia and restlessness in children (Muller & Klement, 2006). The results showed that out of a total of 918 children under 12 years treated with this combination, 80.9% of patients with insomnia and 70.4% of patients with restlessness experienced a clear improvement in symptoms. . Both parents and researchers rated the efficacy as “very good” or “good” (60.5% and 67.7%, respectively). It should be noted that 21.6% of the study population was under the age of 6.
It is always recommended to consult with your family pediatrician for an accurate diagnosis.
References
- https://www.sip.it – SIP Italian Society of Pediatrics
- https://www.fimp.pro – FIMP Italian Federation of Pediatric Doctors
- SF Muller & S. Klement. A combination of valerian and lemon balm is effective in the treatment of restlessness and dyssomnia in children. Phytomedicine 13 (2006) 383-387.