The following factors can cause sleep disorders in infants under one year of age.
Malnutrition. The child should be fed "on demand". Because the child may be hungry often and unable to sleep due to hunger. It has been found that eight-year-olds fed on demand are better able to develop mentally and learn in school. Some children can't sleep because they are afraid of the dark, and some don't want to let go of their mother.
Disorders of nasal breathing. Nasal discharge, dry air, as well as various diseases (enlarged pancreas, reflux leading to bronchospasm, infectious and allergic diseases of the nasopharynx), failure to develop the palate prevent the baby from breathing freely through the nose. As the newborn grows older, the nasal passages expand. If congenital defects (congenital narrowing of the nasal passages) lead to sleep disorders, it may be necessary to perform surgery on the baby.
Vitamin D3 deficiency. If the baby is born without complications, has a good appetite and does not sleep well for 2-3 months, especially in winter, it is possible that vitamin D3 deficiency has occurred. When this vitamin is deficient, the soles of the feet and soles become wet. D3 deficiency is more common in children under 6 months of age. The body needs sunlight to produce vitamin D3. Therefore, when the weather is good, take the baby for a walk.
Lactose deficiency. Lactose in breast milk promotes the absorption of iron and calcium, stimulates the formation of beneficial intestinal microflora. However, in some infants, incomplete digestion of milk sugar can lead to intestinal colic, vomiting, and abdominal distension. These inconveniences, in turn, have a negative impact on sleep quality.
Moro reflexes. This is a movement reflex, which means that when there is a noise, when the position changes quickly, the child spreads his arms and legs and then returns to his original position. If a child suddenly spreads his arms while sleeping, he may wake up. This problem can be overcome with a special pillow in the form of a "nest". When sleeping on such a pillow, the child feels better, and the soft edges of the pillow do not allow the child's hand to spread. It is normal for a child to be frightened by noise, to be afraid to go to sleep and to wake up. However, if the child begins to tremble in the middle of the night, and this happens 2-3 or 5-6 times in a row, the advice of a neurologist is needed. If the Moro reflex persists after 5 months, the child should be referred to a neurologist. The child's nervous system may be overly agitated.
Posttonic reflex. The baby usually sits up from the age of six months and tries to get up. Occasionally, a strong urge to sit or stand can trigger a "signal" in the baby's brain to sit or stand. As a result, the child may sit up or stand up and wake up. At this time, the child should be calmed down and put to bed.
Disorders of fluid intake. Children over 6 months of age feel better without food and fluids for up to 6 hours. Therefore, they should not be fed or given fluids at night. Otherwise, the child's gastrointestinal tract and kidneys will not rest, which will affect the quality of sleep, and the child will not sleep soundly.
All somatic diseases. Skin changes, dermatitis, abdominal pain, acute respiratory viral infections (ARIs), acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs) and other non-nervous system disorders can also cause sleep disorders.
There are other causes of sleep disorders in children aged 1 to 3 years. For example:
Change of order. Children over the age of one are more active. If you limit the child's movements during the day, in the evening he will be happy and will not sleep. Therefore, it is necessary to walk more on the street before putting the child to sleep. In this case, take the child for a walk, not in a wheelchair. Stop all strenuous play 1,5 hours before bedtime. Try to distract the child with calm, peaceful games.
Worm infestations. Worms are most common in children as young as 2,5 years old. At this age, they lick whatever they can get their mouths on. Vomiting at night makes the back itch and irritates the child.
Not sleeping during the day. If a child sleeps less than 45 minutes a day, he should sleep once, not twice a day.
Bruxism. Tooth decay occurs during sleep in 15-32% of children. Nervous disorders, excessive chewing muscle tension, periodontopathy, dry mouth, intoxication, especially vomiting may be the cause.
Cramps syndrome. Severe contraction of the calf muscles causes pain, which leads to sleep disorders. When you hold a muscle, it becomes tense and painful.
Nightmares. A child wakes up with a severe fear of sleep due to a change of location, various illnesses, intense experiences (fear, anger, joy) or nightmares.
So what should parents pay attention to?
when the child's total sleep time decreases sharply;
the child can not sleep for a long time;
the same movements, such as swinging from side to side, turning the bed over and over again;
screaming and crying at night, when the child wakes up, he does not know his parents, does not approach him, it is impossible to calm him down;
abnormal body position during sleep - bending, bending of the knees;
when conditions such as convulsions (fatigue) and night urination are observed.
In any of the above cases, the child should be taken to a specialist. Also, try to put the baby to sleep at home. For example, the following methods will help:
go to bed at the same time as the baby;
let the child always sleep in his place;
say alla by shaking the cradle to bring the baby to sleep;
ensure peace in the child's bedroom.
Some mothers give their child sedatives when he or she is not sleeping. This is incorrect because the drug does not induce natural sleep, but rather disrupts the sequence of sleep stages. Often the effect of sleeping pills lasts the next day, the child falls asleep and relaxes. Also, when a child takes regular medication and sleeps, the child's body becomes accustomed to it.
Shoanvar SHOMANSUROV,
Tashkent Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education
Professor of "Children's Neurological Diseases".
