You know who falls into the category of the mostrestless people? Yes, almost all of us are parents who bring up children. And it's not surprising - who, as not the parents, constantly has more and more reasons for concern! And one of these causes is sleep disturbance in children. It would seem that such a reason should not exist at all, it is not for nothing that the expression "sleep as a baby" exists. There are certain norms of sleep in children:
- Newborn baby - 16 hours
- Child 6 months - 14.5 hours
- Child 1 year - 13.5 hours
- Child 2 years - 13 hours
- Child 4 years - 11 hours
- Child 6 years - 9.5 hours
- Child 12 years - 8.5 hours
According to statistical data, sleep disturbancesare found in about 20% of all children. And these complications are fraught with very serious problems with both the psyche and the health of the child. Therefore, in any case, you can not ignore the violation of sleep in the crumbs. 
Causes of a disturbed normal sleep
The first question that arises in parents in such a situation is why this happens. Doctors identify several main reasons for this phenomenon:
- Genetic predisposition
In the event that any problems with sleepare observed at parents and other relatives, the kid with much greater probability, than its contemporaries, can collide with disturbance of a dream. Of course, we do not mean the age-related insomnia of a grandmother or grandfather, but a serious violation.
- Emotional loads
The child's psyche is very unstable. And the slightest stress can be very detrimental to her condition. And a serious load on the child's psyche can be not only negative, but also positive emotions. Going to the kindergarten, moving to a new place of residence, the appearance of a new member of the family, the exit of the mother to work - all this can be the reason provoking a child's sleep disturbance.
- Somatic disorders
In some cases, the cause of a disturbed normal sleepthe child can become those or other diseases of internal organs. Insomnia is the most common disorder in these cases. Therefore, at the earliest anxiety symptoms, parents should ask the pediatrician for help as soon as possible.
- Disorders of the central nervous system
Full sleep directly depends on the fullfunctioning of the central nervous system. And if your child is disturbed by the work of the central nervous system, do not be surprised if, sooner or later, sleep problems begin.
- Changes in the power schedule
Not the least role is also played by the food schedule. In the event that the child is too late for supper, or - if it is a question of crumbs - he was weaned from his chest, problems with sleeping are almost guaranteed. So, watch your baby's food carefully.
- Physical discomfort
No child will sleep if heexperiencing discomfort. Such discomfort can be intestinal colic, cutting teeth. In addition, the baby may be disturbed by wet diapers, crumbs on the sheet, too high or low temperature in the bedroom. But is it not enough that it can annoy a little man? By the way, the first thing parents should do if a child has a dream is to check carefully that the child does not worry about anything. 
Types of sleep disorders
There are several types of pathological sleep that occurs in a child. Of course, it is impossible to consider them all within the framework of one article. Therefore, let us dwell only on the main of them:
- Shudders
Any person knows the sensation when, falling asleep,wake up because of his own strong jerking. In principle, these same flinches are physiological and are not a deviation. However, in the event that they occur very often, it is worthwhile to be on the alert. Call a neurologist to exclude the presence of such a serious disease as epilepsy. Especially in the event that the pregnancy with a woman was severe and / or the baby was born with hypoxia and other pathologies.
- Bruxism
Why do children grind their teeth? Our grandmothers believed that this was due to the presence of helminthic infestations in the child. However, doctors say that this is not so. Grinding teeth - this is one of the types of sleep disorders, occurring in about 20% of all children. This is especially common in children aged 12 to 13 years. Bruxism is not such an inoffensive phenomenon as it might seem at first glance. As a rule, in addition to the child there is a change in the level of blood pressure, palpitations, and breathing. In addition, tooth enamel suffers very badly - the child simply erases it. Therefore, always consult a doctor - neurologist and dentist.
- Night Fears
A child crying at night, telling aboutbabu-yaga, hardly anyone will be surprised. To the fact that the children have nightmares, everyone is used to it. And do all parents know that such night terrors are a very serious violation. In fact, this is a strong and sudden psychomotor excitation of the nervous system, in which the child experiences a strong sense of fear, and sometimes even a real panic. The most interesting thing is that the child with such attacks of fear is almost impossible to wake up - he does not respond to his name, does not enter into any contact with the people around him. And in the morning, after awakening, the child absolutely does not remember anything that happened at night. From nocturnal fears not a single child is insured, and of any age. However, there is a certain tendency - more often than not, emotional children, prone to tearfulness, are confronted with this phenomenon. And, as a rule, these children are boys aged 2 to 6 years. Moreover, doctors assume that night terrors can also be observed in very young children - they show up with sudden crying and screaming. This state lasts a few minutes, after which the child again quietly falls asleep. Such attacks can occur several times a month, and may several times a night. Unfortunately, treating night terrors is very, very difficult. Most often, parents have to put up with this situation. As a rule, night fears disappear by 10 - 12 years. Although, in fairness, it should be noted that seizures of night fear can be observed in adolescents. Although, of course, schoolchildren are no longer afraid of women-yaga. However, these sleep disorders are not the most serious. There are several pathologies that require serious examination and the work of specialists. Such phenomena include:
- Sleepwalking
Walking in a dream is still a phenomenonlittle-studied. Sleepwalking manifests itself in the actions of the child in a dream, which from the outside seem absolutely purposeful and conscious. However, in reality it is not so - in the morning the child does not remember anything about his nightly adventures. If you look at the child at the time of an attack of sleepwalking, you can note wide eyes and uncertain gait. As a rule, in healthy children, walking in a dream is extremely rare. Most often the cause of the disease are such diseases as epilepsy, central nervous system damage, nocturnal enuresis, diseases of the genitourinary system. Therefore, if you notice that your baby wanders in a dream, be sure to seek medical help as soon as possible. The earlier the disease is identified, the faster and easier it will be to get rid of it.
- Conversations in a dream
Unlike walking, talking in a dream is verymany children are almost all. But the degree of expression of this violation of sleep can be very different - from inarticulate sounds to very active monologues. As a rule, this phenomenon does not require treatment, unless it is accompanied by some other kind of sleep disturbance. And more often than not it happens, therefore nevertheless address for the help to the doctor.
- Nightmarish dreams
Do not confuse night terrors and nightmares. In the first case, the child does not remember in the morning what happened to him at night, and it's very difficult to wake him up at the time of the attack. In this case, the child wakes up if it is woken up, and in the morning he remembers perfectly well what he dreamed of. Most often the child sees nightmares, reflecting reality. For example, if a child quarrels with classmates, in a dream, he may dream that he has been boycotted or staged "dark," and if the child has a stuffy nose, he may be dreaming that he is drowning. If this happens occasionally, there is no cause for concern. But if more often than once a week - it's time to sound the alarm and go to the doctor. As you can see, there are a lot of sleep disorders. And among them there is no frequent complaint of mothers or grandmothers "A child sleeps more / less than his brother, neighbor, peer." If the child's sleep is calm, and after awakening feels cheerful and cheerful, you have no cause for concern. But if you are too worried, you can consult your doctor for your own comfort. But there are situations when a visit to a doctor should be simply necessary. And as soon as possible - procrastination can be fraught with various complications. So:
- Sleep disorders in very young children under the age of one.
- Any sleep disorders, even the most minor, but lasting more than 3 weeks.
- Any sleep disorders, accompanied by a significant disturbance of mood and changes in the behavior of the child.
- Disturbances of breathing, observed at night, when the child is sleeping.
- Sleep disorders that occur in the background of nocturnal enuresis - urinary incontinence.
The doctor will examine the child, listen carefullyparents, will send for necessary research. Once the diagnosis is established and the overall picture of the disease becomes clear, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment.
General recommendations for sleep disorders
In addition to the treatment prescribed by the doctor, parents must observe several basic rules, without which you will hardly be able to get rid of sleep disturbance in children.
- Child's sleep mode
Strictly watch the child's sleep - he must lie strictly in the due time. Some parents believe that the later the child goes to bed, the stronger will be his sleep. However, this is not so.
- Time before bedtime
Pay attention to what your child is likeis engaged before bedtime. Do not allow your child to watch TV later than two hours before bedtime. Very many parents prefer to put the kids cartoons before going to bed. Do not do this - better read the book to the kid. In addition, it is not necessary to start noisy and lively games before going to sleep - an excited nervous system and a healthy sleep are very poorly compatible.
- Air in the bedroom
Strictly watch the temperature of the air in the bedroom. It is unacceptable that it was too cold or, even more so, too hot. The recommended temperature is 22 degrees Celsius. In addition, pay attention to the humidity - it should be equal to 70%. Particularly relevant is the issue of air humidity in winter. Ideally, you would purchase a special air humidifier. But if necessary, you can do with improvised means - just put a damp towel on the battery in the evening.
- Bed dress
Watch also for the condition of bed andunderwear of the child. It should be clean and bedded without creases. It is advisable to purchase bed linen from natural materials. The same goes for pajamas. By the way, doctors advise parents of girls to refuse pajamas - they gather in the area of the tummy and restrict the movements of the baby. Such a trifle, it would seem, can greatly worsen the quality of a child's sleep.
- Lifestyle of the child
And the child's general way of lifepay special attention. Make sure that the child spends at least two hours on the street. Take control and its physical activity - for the child a sedentary lifestyle is unacceptable. Agree, the child, sitting all day in four walls, in front of the TV, can hardly boast a sound healthy sleep. And the problem of falling asleep to them is almost guaranteed.
- Breastfeeding
If a bad sleep disturbs babies for up to a year,you can try the simplest method of treatment. Just put your baby with you - as a rule, the problem disappears very quickly. Although this method has its ardent opponents who say that children have nothing to do in their parents' beds, let alone children under the age of one. It's up to you to decide. By the way, pediatricians say that there are practically no problems with sleeping with infants who are naturally breastfed. So think carefully about whether it is too early to transfer a baby to artificial feeding - try to breastfeed for at least a year. 
Folk remedies for the treatment of sleep disorders in children
In addition to drug treatment of sleep disorderschildren can use traditional recipes. However, pay attention - almost all recipes are based on certain herbs, which in rare cases can cause the development of an allergic reaction. Therefore, they can not be used to treat children under the age of one. And in all cases, it would be superfluous to consult a doctor.
- Coniferous trays
This recipe is effective for all sleep disorderswithout exception. You will need three tablespoons of pine or spruce needles. Put them in a thermos, pour two liters of boiling water and leave to infuse for one day. After this, strain the infusion with gauze cloth. In the evening, before going to bed, make a warm bath and add a coniferous broth to it. The bath must in no case be hot - otherwise the central nervous system may become overexcited. The duration of the bath is no more than 10 minutes. The course of treatment should last 10 days. By the way, this bath is the only thing that can be used to treat children under one year.
- Baths with decoction of herbs
Effective baths with such herbs astansy and sponges. Infusion is done in the same way - in the thermos you need to place 2 tablespoons of any of the above mentioned herbs. Pour them two liters of boiling water, leave to insist on one day. Before going to bed, make a warm bath, add herbal decoction. The duration of the bath is 10 minutes. The course of treatment is 10 days.
- Valerian
Valerian is almost an ideal way to improvesleep of the child. For treatment of infants up to one year, it is recommended to put the root of valerian under the mattress. Pre-wrap it in a gauze cloth. You need to change the root once every two to three weeks, not more often. But for the treatment of sleep disorders in adolescents you can use an infusion of valerian root. It is prepared as follows. Place in a thermos two tablespoons of the crushed root of valerian, pour half a liter of hot water. Infuse the broth for at least 4 hours, then strain it with gauze cloth and pour into a glass container. Keep it only in the refrigerator. Take the broth the child should twice a day - in the morning and in the evening, two tablespoons. As a rule, sleep improves after a few days. The duration of the course of treatment is at least 21 days.
- Pharmacy Chamomile
True "wand-zashchalochka" - chemist's daisy -will come to the rescue and with various disorders of sleep in children older than 5 years. Prepare a chamomile broth - place two tablespoons of dried chamomile inflorescences in an enamel pan, fill with half a liter of water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, then wrap it with a towel and insist for one hour. After this, strain the broth with gauze cloth, pour into a glass container. Give the child 100 grams of decoction two hours before bedtime. The duration of the course of treatment is 10 days. As a rule, the apparent improvement comes already on the fifth day. We advise you to read:
