Sleep disturbance in children

Watch Out: Eating fast food regularly can lead to obesity in kids.

Disturbances in sleep could be due to obesity

Sleep is the elixir of life. Enough sleep gives a day of physical and mental energy to go on with the daily activities without any interruption. It is true for everybody and not to forget the young children too. Any disturbance of sleep is likely to lead to various problems and the main risk factor for children is obesity.

Change in lifestyles

The drastic change in lifestyles with children binging on fast foods and spending long hours on the computer playing games with no physical activity have all initiated a course of events culminating into obesity. The high risk factors of obesity can lead to hypertension and diabetes mellitus later in life which of course is striking the younger generation too.

There are some issues like disturbances of sleep called as sleep apnoea wherein the sleep activity is marred by difficulty in breathing and the peaks and troughs of inhalation and exhalation affecting the quality of sleep.

There are several factors that can cause this condition like nasal blocking which is again secondary to upper respiratory tract infections, adenoids, tonsillitis etc. But the usually forgotten risk factor is obesity.

When sleep is less there are several factors that are affected. The children could feel sleepy during the daytime especially during the schooling time.

Either hyperactivity and restlessness could set in or the child becomes dull and inactive Inattention becomes an issue and the learning is marred. Such children also tend to have behavioural problems too.

Snoring at night is one of the main issues. There is a pause in breathing while at sleep. Children tend to open their mouth while breathing at night.
The child does not feel fresh on waking up.

Make changes

What are the lifestyle changes that can help?

Creating a bedtime routine is necessary. Television, computers and intake of beverages are a strict no no during bedtime. The child today is occupied with several extracurricular activities and these “hobbies” take more time and energy. Such activities should be better avoided.

Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies that can address such issues in children.

Obese children seem to respond better to remedies like Calcarea carb, baryta carb etc. Dullness, inactivity and lethargy in children seem to be helped with remedies like Opium, Nux moschata etc. Chubby, cherubic, inactive and lethargic children are better with Calcarea carb. When the urge for food is the main reason for the obesity and the consequent problems, Antim crud, Sulphur are of help.

There are several other remedies which can help symptomatically like Passiflora, Baryta iod, Kali bich, Kali mur etc. which can serve the same purpose of improved sleep and thereby an active and attentive child during the daytime.