Sleep Deprivation in Children; A Family Affair

Click on mic for audio interview with Dr. Richard Stack, Medical Director, Mercy Sleep Clinic, Mercy San Juan Hospital

This week:

According to The National Sleep Foundation, more than two-thirds of America's children are experiencing difficulties with sleep. For some, the cause is a physical/medical condition that can result in abnormal breathing patterns, but for many, the cause is far more likely to be poor bedtime habits, over-stimulation (television, computer games), jammed packed schedules and the effects of caffeine, just to name a few. The result, however, is the same: sleep deprivation and all the learning/behavioral challenges that come with it. Chances are that your child's not the only one loosing out on sleep; parents and caregivers are loosing an estimated 200 hours of sleep annually as a result.

Experts like Dr Stack agree that sleep deprivation can mimic common disorders such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), which can result in misdiagnosis and treatment that in most cases, will not correct the problem. For those children who struggle with ADD, sleep deprivation only makes that struggle all the more difficult.

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For a more in-depth look at the NSF survey and to learn how much sleep your children REALLY need, visit: http://www.sleepfoundation.org

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Mercy Sleep Clinic
http://www.mercysanjuan.org