Understanding Pediatric Sleep Disorders: A Guide for Parents and Educators

It has been estimated that between 30-50% of parents will reports a sleep complaint for their children. In fact, sleep disorders go beyond behavioral sleep problems often associated with sleep training such as bedtime resistance. They also include conditions that may appear with daytime problems not conventionally thought to be due to sleepiness.

Learning disorders, behavioral problems, mood disorders, and even ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) are often the primary symptoms of a sleep disorder in kids and adolescents. While adults with sleep issues might complain of insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness, kids may not articulate these struggles so clearly. Instead, children might show signs like hyperactivity, irritability, or difficulty focusing—symptoms that could easily be mistaken for behavioral issues or even ADHD. Bedtime resistance, frequent night waking, or snoring can also hint at problems like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, which differ from the more straightforward fatigue adults typically report. Parents need to watch for these unique clues, as kids’ developing brains and bodies react to sleep disruptions in ways that don’t always mirror adult patterns.