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Treatments For Childhood Insomnia Although parents often want to turn to a prescription to treat their child's insomnia, it is much more important to look for any underlying medical or psychological problems that may need to be treated first.
For example, if your child has obstructive sleep apnea and snores loudly at night and frequently stops breathing, then he might need to have his tonsils and adenoids removed. Or if your child has a frequent nighttime cough because his asthma is poorly controlled, then he may need a stronger preventative asthma medication. If your child has sleep apnea, asthma, or is depressed, then a sleeping pill is not the answer. Also, the sleeping pills that we all see marketed on TV, such as Ambien CR and Lunesta, have not been approved for use in children. Medications which are sometimes used when necessary and appropriate do include: •sedating antidepressants, including amitriptyline and remeron •melatonin •clonidine, especially if your child also has ADHD or behavior problems •risperdal, especially if your child also has autism or behavior problems •antihistamines, although these commonly cause daytime drowsiness and would just be used for a very short period of time Unless there is another or co-morbid diagnosis as a cause of your child's insomnia, a prescription is usually not the answer. Non-drug treatments for primary insomnia, or childhood insomnia that is not caused by another medical condition, can include: •restricting time spent in bed to simply sleeping, which means no reading, doing homework, or watching TV in bed •having a very consistent schedule of when your child goes to bed and wakes up, including weekends and holidays •teaching your child about relaxation techniques, including diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and visual imagery, which he can use when he is going to sleep •stopping stimulating activities 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime, such as playing video games, watching TV, or talking on the phone •getting out of bed and doing something quite, such as reading, if your child doesn't fall asleep within 10 to 20 minutes •avoiding caffeine •exercising regularly Seeing a counselor or child psychologist, in addition to your pediatrician, can also be helpful for most children with insomnia. |
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