Nightmares Vs Night Terrors - What Are the Differences?

One question sleep disorder sufferers often ask is "Did I have a nightmare or a night terror? And what is the difference?" Night terrors & nightmares are actually distinctly different from one another, and the scientific classifications between the two are clear.

Nightmares are likely to take place following a period of many hours of deep sleep. The victim remembers the dream - sometimes in exacting detail. This is one of the biggest differences between nightmare and night terrors: the nightmare victim nearly always becomes aware that they experienced an intense dream after waking himself up or perhaps shortly thereafter. Although the nightmare itself could get a person directly out of bed, there's hardly ever any kind of thrashing about or any physical movements that accompany the nightmare other than whimpers or perhaps some slight groans.

Once the nightmare sufferer awakens, he or she tends to remember the dream experience to have been fearful, although they may not be able to pinpoint exactly why. Quite often, the sleeper benefits from talking about the details of their nightmare with someone close to them. However, if a person experiences nightmares consistently over a prolonged period of time, it could indicate a more serious sleeping problem - perhaps even a bona fide sleep disorder.

Night terrors, however, take place within the first couple of hours of sleep. When they strike, the sleeper responds with deafening shouting which is almost always accompanied by intense thrashing in bed. Waking the sleeper up is very difficult and the sleeper usually doesn't remember much of anything other than an overwhelming sensation or perhaps a individual scene from their dream. In many cases, the victim doesn't remember anything at all.

Nightmares and night terrors develop during distinctly different periods of sleep. Young children who have experienced night terrors may also tend to walk in their sleep and/or discharge urine in bed. Nightmare sufferers, on the other hand, seldom experience these reactions, regardless of their age.

Compared to nightmares, scientists really don't have a good handle on what causes night terrors. More in-depth research is definitely needed to uncover the causes. Once puberty arrives, children generally stop experiencing them. In adults, however, night terrors are commonly caused by stressful daytime situations and experiences. In cases such as this, a consultation with a doctor experienced in the field of sleep disorders would be highly recommended. Victims of both nightmares as well as night terrors can benefit from a consultation with a sleep disorder specialist.

Divorce - Separation Anxiety Disorder

Divorce can kick off a number of disorders - Separation Anxiety Disorder is one of them. The signs and symptoms include fears that someone is going to kidnap a child or their parents, inability to stay in bed, intrusive nightmares, and difficulty settling down for sleep. Sometimes it can be so powerful that a child will refuse to go to school, they will get stomach aches that will prevent them from going to school, or they will force the school nurse to send them home.

This disorder usually runs in the family. Take a look to see if you or your spouse has any anxiety disorders running in your family backgrounds. Divorce is a breaking of trust for most children. They expected a family to continue forever and when it breaks some kids feel like the bottom has fallen out.

So don't be surprised if there's an increase in separation anxiety soon after mom or dad moves out. There is treatment for this issue and it includes supportive psychotherapy, reassurance, and occasionally, but not necessarily, medication. If a child is refusing to go to school, you have a serious problem on your hands that needs intervention. It's like falling off a horse - they longer you're off that horse or out of school the harder it is to get back into the swing of things.

In my experience, separation anxiety disorder is quite treatable, but it is something that parents often let go for too long. After a divorce, get help and take your own pulse as well - you don't need any extra anxiety during this time. Don't be too worried because your child should get better with a little bit of time and treatment.

Sleep Disorder - NREM Sleep

Non rapid eye movement or NREM sleep refers to the stages of sleep from 1 to 3. This is a form of sleep disorder that is harmful for a person. A person neither dreams nor the muscles get paralyzed as in REM sleep. In fact there is parasympathetic governance during the non rapid eye movement. There is no or little eye movement during these stages. The electroencephalographic (EEG), heart beat, breathing are slow and regular during these phases of sleep. The blood pressure of the person becomes low and there is no movement in the person while sleeping.

Various Stages of NREM Sleep

1. Stage 1 - This sleep disorder starts with slow eye movements. The theta wave takes the place of the alpha waves. People experience hypnic jerks during shifting to the first stage. People when wake up in this phase live with the perception that they are fully awake.

2. Stage 2 - In this phase, there is no eye movement. Dreams are either rare or there are no dreams experienced by the person. The patient can be easily awakened from his or her sleep. The electroencephalographic recordings show "K - complexes" and "sleep spindles" during the second stage.

3. Stage 3 - During this stage of NREM sleep the person is in a deep sleep and slow wave sleep. This stage was initially divided into stages 3 and 4. A person more often dreams in this stage but the count of dreams is lesser than that in REM sleep. The slow wave sleep dreams are vibrant, incoherent and are less memorable. The occurrence of parasomnias is very common in this last stage.

The sleep disorder is caused by a physiological activation in which the person's brain is caught between the stages of falling asleep and waking from sleep. The autonomous nervous system, cognitive process and motor system are activated during sleep or while the person wakes up from sleep. NREM sleep is very common during the childhood of a person but it reduces as they grow. The most common things that happen with the person are:

• Sleep walking - It is very common with people belonging to the ages of 11 and 12 years.
• Night fears - People awake in panic or with a scream. The patient suffers a lot. Continuous consolation is of no use at this stage. The patient may end up hurting him or herself. The person often experiences amnesia after the terror.
• Sudden awakening - It is very common in children. They wake up due to terrible crying or irregular thrashing. This is described by movements in bed.
• Restless Leg Syndrome - The person suffers from itching, burning or uncomfortable feeling in the legs during the sleep. The sleep is disturbed when they get up to scratch their legs.

NREM sleep disorder is very problematic for a person. It causes sleep disruption and the person does not get sound sleep for relaxed body and mind. His overall health suffers due to this particular kind of sleep disorder.

When Children Suffer Sweating While Sleeping

If your child suffers from perspiring when he or she sleeps, the first thing to do is not panic. There are many natural and environmental reasons a child might perspire while sleeping. You should also discuss the matter with your doctor before you jump to conclusions or take any advice from online sources.

In this article, however, I will discuss three common medical reasons a child might suffer from sweating while sleeping. This isn't intended to replace a visit to your child's doctor; this is just to help you be more informed.

Tuberculosis

While any infection or fever can cause children to suffer from sleep hyperhidrosis, one of the most common causes of severe, drenching perspiration in children and adults alike is tuberculosis (TB). Tuberculosis most often affects the lungs and may reduce a child's overall immune system, making him or her even more susceptible to other night perspiration triggering infections.

Hyperthyroidism

If your son or daughter's small body is creating too a high a volume of thyroid hormones, than he or she may be suffering from hyperthyroidism. In addition to night sweating, symptoms of hyperthyroidism include unexplained weight loss and distinct lethargy. As always, if you suspect that your child may be suffering from this condition, please consult with your pediatrician.

Diabetes

While I again encourage to not jump to conclusions, if your child is suffering from a very distinct, drenching night sweat, one disease you may consider is diabetes. Sweating at night is a common symptom of someone suffering from untreated or undiagnosed diabetes.

Infections

Easily the most common among causes of sweating while sleeping in children are infections. Anytime your child's body attempts to fight off an infection by raising its core temperature and creating a fever, your child will likely suffer some degree of sweating at night.

This is because at the same time that his or her immune system is raising the body's core temperature to fight off the infection, the body's hypothalamus is trying to keep the body from overheating by triggering the sweat glands to cool it. This back and forth can escalate the body's perspiration to the point of drenching night sweats.

The most common sweat-causing infections in children tend to be sinus infections, strep throat, bronchitis or pneumonia. But sometimes even a bad cold can cause sleep hyperhidrosis.

Keep in mind that a majority of cases have an innocent trigger at their origin. So do not panic at the first sign of excessive sweating during the night. But it also behooves all parents to be empowered with greater knowledge and understanding of all the conditions that could affect the health and vitality of their children.

Do not assume your child has tuberculosis or diabetes, but do not assume he or she doesn't have them either. I hope this article helps you, but always discuss these matters with a qualified medical professional before treating your child, but stay informed to stay empowered.

Solving Sleeping Challenges With Autistic Children

Parents of autistic children often struggle to get them to sleep, and therefore struggle with their own sleep as well. However, we all know the importance of ensuring children get the sleep that they need in order to get the most out of the various therapies and efforts being made to improve their symptoms. However, it can be easier said than done!

Over-sensitivity to stimuli can be a frustrating challenge for both autistic children and their parents. Over-reaction to various sounds in the child's environment, as well as smells, lights, or any other sensations may make it difficult for a child to fall asleep or stay asleep. Many autistic children have sensory issues within their sleep environment. This can make it difficult for them to relax enough to fall asleep or to find a comfortable position in which to sleep.

In Siegal's book The World of the Autistic Child, it was suggested that the sleep problems faced by autistic children may also be a result of the way autistic neurotransmitters in the brain function. It stated that about 56 percent of autistic children struggle with sleep-related issues that they will rarely "grow out of".

So one of the first steps for remedying the lack of sleep is to try to identify what is causing your child to struggle to sleep. Is it anxiety, sensory issues, medical issues, attention seeking, or something in the bedroom itself?

The following tips are for parents to help their autistic children get to sleep and stay that way until morning:

- Set a bedtime and stick to it, including the routines that occur before bedtime. This allows the child to experience a degree of consistency and predictability, which is often vital to an autistic child's proper functioning.

- Provide your autistic child with visual rules that indicate the rule for staying in one's room or bed at night. These visual rules should be posted in various visible areas of the bedroom.

- Pair the bedtime rules and routines that you create with social stories that can help to speak to your autistic child's sleep-related anxieties.

- Change the bedroom environment to make it more appealing to your autistic child. While some autistic children respond well to having a nightlight, others require total darkness with a black out blind over the window for blocking the exterior light as well. Many autistic children sleep better when their bed is pushed up against the wall, as they feel more secure; a corner is even better. To block out any sounds that may be distressing your child, use a white noise machine or run a fan in your child's bedroom.

- If you usually sleep in the same bed as your autistic child and he or she is struggling to sleep alone, "replace" yourself with a sleeping bag or body pillow to mimic the pressure that would usually exist if you were lying in the bed.

- Use layers for your child's pajamas and tuck him or her in well so that any tactile sensitivity will be minimized.

By rooting out any disturbances causing your child not to sleep and by introducing routines and an effective sleeping environment, your autistic child should be able to enjoy a great deal more sleep - as will you.

Sleep Disorder Remedies - 4 Ways to Treat Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders can affect people in many different ways. Not being able to fall asleep, having trouble staying asleep, and experiencing fatigue and drowsiness during the day are all reasons for people to seek sleep disorder remedies. It can be frustrating and draining to be unable to get a good night's sleep, and the effects of this sleep deprivation can be serious. 

Sleep disorders can make chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes significantly worse. They can lead to serious problems such as anxiety disorders and depression. You could also be at a higher risk of getting into a car accident since sleep deprivation leads to impaired judgments.

One of the most common sleep disorder remedies is taking medication. Sleeping pills can help you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night, but there is a cost. Some of these have severe side effects or can be habit-forming. You could find yourself relying on these pills to the extent that you increase the amount you take or refuse to stop taking them altogether. Although these pills can help treat your sleep disorder, the resulting dependency can lead to further problems.

Making some lifestyle changes can go a long way towards helping you fight insomnia and other sleep disorders. If you're a smoker, giving up this habit can help you fall asleep faster. Nicotine interferes with your body's ability to sleep, leading to more restlessness when you lie down at night. Alcohol can also have a significant impact on your quality of sleep. Although you might not have trouble falling asleep initially, you could have trouble staying asleep during the night if you've been drinking.

Dietary supplements can be used as sleep disorder remedies, although their effectiveness can vary from person to person. Melatonin and valerian have been reportedly known to help people sleep better. These supplements haven't been thoroughly tested, so their reliability can be questionable. What works for some people might not work for you.

Are you experiencing physical discomfort as well as trouble sleeping? If you're taking medication for an injury or other physical ailment, make sure that the dosage is strong enough to get you through the night. Pain and physical discomfort can prevent you from getting the uninterrupted rest you need.  

With so many sleep disorder remedies to choose from, how do you know which one will work the best for you? Since it could take you awhile to find one that gives you the results you need, why not go with one that is known to be highly effective and reliable at providing you with the relief you're looking for?

Insomnia - How to Help Your Child Fall Asleep

One in four children experiences sleep problems of one type or another during the course of childhood. Helping your child to fall asleep -- to conquer her insomnia -- is important to both of you. Neither of you needs the stress and frustration associated with childhood insomnia. In truth, you typically aren't dealing with a classic sleep disorder in getting your child to sleep. Instead, you're dealing with the problem of teaching her how to fall asleep on her own and at the appropriate time. One of more of the following techniques may be just what you need to enable both of you (or all of your family, for that matter) to have a calm, restful night.

Calm Is The Word to Remember

Part of the process of transitioning from fully awake to fully asleep is the deliberate (on your part) calming and quieting that must proceed sleep. Before bedtime, you should intentionally slow her down from the fast pace of the day. It will help if you can bring the entire household to a slower, more relaxed pace. Calming music, the TV turned off, and a generally slower pace will help her relax so that her body is preparing itself for sleep. You will also benefit if you can establish and consistently follow a routine that invariably ends in bedtime. That routine might be 15 minutes of reading to her from a favorite (not a new) book; or sitting with her and talking about the successes of the day, reinforcing the good things she's done and how quickly she's learning to accomplish new tasks; or a session of light massage to help her relax. The key thought here is to strive for consistency -- this activity should take place every evening, always at the same time, always for about the same amount of time, and always ending in bedtime with no delays and no excuses.

Speaking of Consistency . . .

If you want your child to fall asleep on time and stay asleep all night, they you must be consistent in how you close out the day and in how you deal with any inconsistencies she tries to introduce. To some extent it almost doesn't matter what the pattern is that leads to bedtime, so long as it is consistent. If you remind her "Bedtime is in 10 minutes," be sure that bedtime follows in 10 minutes. And continue this routine every night so that it's both expected and understood. Here are some routine bedtime difficulties and some possible responses you can use to overcome them:

Your child doesn't want to fall asleep alone -- she wants you to stay in the room or stay in bed with her until she falls asleep. This might be the result of insecurity, which may be overcome by ensuring that she has a favorite blanket or toy with her. If she's afraid of the dark, a night light can provide her with some assurance. Leaving the door open a little bit may reassure her that she is not alone in the house, abandoned to all the monsters and fears of childhood. And you can reassure her that you'll be looking in on her to make sure she's OK and sound asleep. If she's awake when you check, encourage her by praising her for staying in bed and relaxing, waiting for sleep to overtake her. Consistency being the keyword here, you must insist that she remain in bed, not get up and wander around, go to the bathroom, interrupt you for a drink of water or other services, etc.

Alternatively, if your child doesn't want to sleep alone, it may be because she got accustomed to falling asleep in your arms while being nursed -- you need to transition her to going to sleep alone. This may be accomplished more quickly if you begin doing it during the day. Wait until you notice she's drowsy and close to nap time. Then put her into her bed alone, reassure her that you'll be in the next room, and let her fall asleep alone. Let her mind associate bed with sleep, even when she's in bed alone -- and even if she's in bed alone because she's woken in the middle of the night.

Your child wants to stay awake longer, so she doesn't miss any of the activity going on in the home. See the earlier note about calming the entire house down prior to bedtime. If there's "nothing happening," then there isn't much temptation to stay up and watch it not happen.

Your child wakes up in the night and calls for attention. First, delay your response for a minute or two -- and for increasingly longer periods if the problem persists. The idea is to create a deliberate delay so that she won't expect immediate response; and to increase that delay so that she will learn that if she wakes at night the only thing to do is to lay back down and go back to sleep. If she is consistently waking during the night, she may be taking too many naps during the day; or she may be sleeping too late in the morning, so that she isn't sufficiently tired at night. When you go to her after she wakes up, give her loving attention, but not too much of it. Tuck her back into her covers, remind her that it's well past bedtime and that she needs to be asleep, give her a kiss on the forehead, and leave the room. Waking in the night should not become an excuse to stay awake. Rather, it should be an occasion for brief reassurances and then a swift return to sleep.

Not all children need the same amount of sleep. If you're putting her to bed at 7:30 and she consistently falls asleep at 8:30, this might be because you're trying to give her more hours of sleep than her body actually needs. Maybe she only needs nine hours of sleep instead of the ten hours you've been told is "correct for a child her age." Rather than associating bedtime with frustration and sleeplessness, try putting her to bed at the time her body is ready for sleep. She'll get just as much sleep, but won't be frustrated and fussy at bedtime. If this proves to be an insufficient amount of sleep, you can work at returning to the previous bedtime in small increments. That is, if putting her to bed at 8:30 leaves her groggy in the morning, begin putting her to bed at 8:25 for several days, then at 8:20 for several days, then slowly move her to a bedtime that will allow her sufficient sleep while preventing the situation where she lies awake too long once she's gone to bed.

Summing It Up

Work at having a calm, soothing, and consistent -- especially consistent -- routine for bedtime and for dealing with the occasional nighttime wakefulness. In the absence of illness, calmness and consistency are the best means of dealing with childhood insomnia.

Copyright (c) William Johnson 2008

Hyperactive Or Sleep Deprived? - The Surprising Link Between ADHD and Childhood Sleep Disorders

You probably wouldn't think of your hyperactive child as being sleepy, but new evidence suggests he could be. According to Ronald Chervin, M.D., associate professor of neurology and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the University of Michigan, a significant number of children may be receiving treatment for ADHD when being treated for a sleep disorder would solve the problem.

Exactly how many isn't known, as the topic hasn't been studied enough. But there's a large enough minority to make it worth pursuing.

Sleeping without breath

Between one and three percent of preschool and school-aged children suffer from sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that makes it difficult or even impossible for a person to sleep and breathe at the same time. When we sleep, the muscles in the upper part of our throat relax, staying open just enough to allow air to continue flowing. In people with sleep apnea, the passage is so narrow that when these muscles relax, the airway closes completely. Their breathing stops for 10 to 20 seconds or more until their brain senses trouble and wakes them up just enough to start their breathing again. The downside to this is that the person never gets the restorative sleep their body needs because they are constantly being awakened.

Sleep apnea in children is usually caused by enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids obstructing the child's airway. The most common and most effective treatment is to remove them. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the primary reason that nearly 400,000 American children have their tonsils and adenoids removed each year is to treat sleep apnea. And here's where the ADHD link comes in: Preliminary research conducted by Chervin and his colleagues shows that a good number of children no longer qualify for a diagnosis of ADHD after they have been treated for sleep apnea.

Sleepy kids

The major sign of sleep apnea in adults is excessive daytime sleepiness. But sleepiness is very hard to identify in children because they show their sleepiness in a different way than adults do. Sometimes their way of showing sleepiness ends up looking a lot like ADHD. Sanjay Patel, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, says, "Children rarely act sleepy. What happens instead often times is that they actually act sort of hyperactive or irritable. You can get kids who look just like they have ADHD when the cause is really sleep apnea."

Why would a sleep-deprived child act this way? Well, it could be their way of trying to stay awake. As no self-respecting child would ever admit to being sleepy, they may instead try to create more stimuli in their environment by shifting their attention, fidgeting, getting up, or causing a commotion. It's actually consistent with other observations. Most people wouldn't immediately imagine that a stimulant (such as Ritalin) would help someone who is hyperactive, but it does. And why is that? Well there's some evidence that hyperactive children are extra sleepy.

Signs to look for

So how can you tell if your child is one of the small, yet significant minority whose ADHD-like symptoms are caused by a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea? The most important clue is whether the child snores and stops breathing, then suddenly starts again. Also watch for labored breathing, a loud snort or gasping noise as the child resumes breathing, and strange sleeping positions.

Other signs of sleep apnea in children include:

* heavy sweating during sleep

* behavior problems

* difficulty waking up

* headaches, especially in the morning

* irritability

* breathing through the mouth

Sleep apnea, whether in children or adults, is a very treatable disorder. It's hard to believe, but those who suffer from it usually have no idea what goes on while they sleep. By the time they wake up, their body has already acted to fix the problem. A few minutes spent watching for the signs of sleep apnea in your child could mean the difference between a life with good quality sleep, and a life without it.

Five Serious Consequences of Not Getting Enough Sleep!

Sleep is an often forgotten commodity. In trying to get in all of our activities each day, sleep is something we frequently cut back on (to the detriment of our health). According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), approximately 30 million Americans are affected by chronic insomnia each year. When we sleep enough, we wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on our daily activities. Sleep affects how we look, feel and perform on a daily basis and can have a major impact on our overall quality of life.

To get the most out of our sleep, both quantity and quality are important. Teens and young adults need at least 8.5 a night of uninterrupted sleep to leave their bodies and minds rejuvenated for the next day. If sleep is cut short, the body does not have time to complete all the sleep phases needed for muscle repair, memory and the release of hormones that regulate growth and appetite. We then wake up unprepared to concentrate, make decisions or engage fully in school, work and social activities.

Getting good sleep is crucial because sleep deprivation is associated with serious health problems such as obesity, depression, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Your emotional well-being, performance, productivity, and mental abilities are all linked with getting good sleep. The effects of sleep deprivation could arise from insomnia, disrupted sleep, snoring (yours or others), or waking up early. The five most serious effects of sleep deprivation include:

1 - Depression: Sleep-deprived children have longer illnesses, more severe depression, and greater fatigue than those who are not sleep deprived. Other studies link sleep deprivation with self esteem problems as well. Getting good quality sleep and curing insomnia helps with fight depression and increase self esteem.

2 - Weight gain: If you are losing sleep, your body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are likely to increase. Your risk of becoming obese is almost doubled, according to Professor Francesco Cappuccio of Warwick Medical School. He detected this trend in adults and kids as young as five years old. Getting good sleep can help you lose weight. Sleep deprivation increases appetite through hormonal changes. Specifically, more of the appetite-increasing ghrelin is produced when you are not getting good sleep and less of the appetite-suppressing leptin is produced. Sleep deprivation and insomnia naturally cause you to eat more.

3 - Memory loss: Dr. Jeffrey Ellenbogen of the Harvard Medical School found that sleep protects memories from interference. The more quickly you fall asleep after studying for a test or learning a new skill, the more likely you are to remember it later. If you learn new information and then go about your daily business, you will have about a 44 per cent lower chance of retaining what you have learned. This research could be particularly helpful when you are learning a new job. Getting good sleep helps your memory, while sleep deprivation damages it.

4 - Intellectual impairment: Researchers at the University of Virginia have found that insomnia or lack of sleep can impair IQ and cognitive development in children. Lower grades and poor peer relations could also result from sleep deprivation. Getting good sleep increases cognitive ability.

5 - Physical impairment: According to the National Sleep Foundation, your body shows the effects of not getting good sleep. Your coordination and motor functions may be impaired, and your reaction time may be delayed. You may have reduced cardiovascular performance, reduced endurance, and increased levels of fatigue due to sleep deprivation. Tremors and clumsiness can also result if you are not getting good sleep.

How does sleep contribute to the functioning of the body?

Sleep architecture follows a pattern of alternating REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep in a cycle that repeats itself about every 90 minutes.

What role does each state and stage of sleep play?

NREM (75 percent of the night): As we begin to fall asleep, we enter NREM sleep, which is composed of four stages:

Stage 1

· Between being awake and falling asleep

· Light sleep

Stage 2

· Onset of sleep

· Becoming disengaged from surroundings

· Breathing and heart rate are regular

· Body temperature drops (so sleeping in a cool room is helpful)

Stages 3 and 4

· Deepest and most restorative sleep

· Blood pressure drops

· Breathing becomes slower

· Muscles are relaxed

· Blood supply to muscles increases

· Tissue growth and repair occurs

· Energy is restored

· Hormones are released (including growth hormone, which is essential for growth and development-especially muscle development)

REM (25 percent of night): First occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and recurs about every 90 minutes, getting longer later in the night. In REM sleep:

· Energy is provided to brain and body

· Supports for daytime performance are provided

· Brain is active and dreams occur

· Eyes dart back and forth

· Body becomes immobile and relaxed as muscles are turned off

In addition, levels of the hormone cortisol drop at bedtime and increase overnight to promote alertness in the morning.

Sleep helps us thrive during the day by maintaining a healthy immune system and helping to balance our appetites by regulating levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which influence our feelings of hunger. So when we are sleep deprived, we may feel the need to eat more, which in turn can lead to weight gain.

The one third of our lives that we spend sleeping, far from being unproductive, plays a direct role in how full, energetic and successful the other two thirds of our lives can be.

Teaching Autistic Children - Using a Schedule Chart to Improve Skill Achievement

Autistic children have a variety of abilities that can be used to their benefit to overcome the lack of certain skills in life. One of the simplest approaches to autistic teaching of children is to make simple step-by-step schedules for them to follow.

From early morning to bedtime, there are many tasks in a day that must be managed by a parent to help autistic teaching of a child with compromised life skills abilities. These tasks are things as simple as getting dressed, brushing teeth, eating breakfast, preparing for appointments, daily chores, school, homework, preparing for bed, and sleep routines.

Having a charted schedule for your child can take the confusion out of the picture. Many autistic children thrive on structure. With structure clearly mapped out they know what to expect and what will occur tomorrow. It removes a bit of the social fear factor that so many autistic children struggle with. Especially for teaching autistic children, schedules can be the key to a successful day.

Once you have mapped out the daily schedule for your child, present it in the form of an attractive chart, using images and simple words. You can do this on the computer quite easily with clip art and a simple font for text. For example, for reading time you would place "Reading Time" and also place a picture of an open book or a stack of books. This helps your child's reading and comprehension skills. For an appointment you can use an actual picture of the child's practitioner. Hanging the chart in your child's personal area helps him or her feel the personal control that a charted schedule can deliver.

Teaching autistic children is so much more successful when a schedule is adhered to as strictly as possible. Changes or disruptions can be very discomforting for the child so any change should be clearly planned and explained. Sleep times and wake-up times should be as consistent as possible. It is very important to remember that autistic children are extremely resistant to change and they function so much better when things are reliably the same for them. Because of this, you should try to keep their days and evenings as uniform as possible. Introduce new things with a lot of discussion and gradual introduction. Any new learning methods or new task teaching would be presented when your child is feeling good. Follow the daily routine and work the new task into something already on the schedule so that the addition is as minimally disruptive as possible. When your child understands what is coming and what is expected of him, you will provide the most positive and effective environment for teaching and learning.

Teaching children with autism can seem overwhelming and sometimes downright impossible. Using a schedule chart can be one of the most effective methods for teaching autistic children and turn difficulty into a pleasurable experience for both of you.

Use Omega 3 For Anxiety Disorder

Omega 3 for Anxiety Disorders

One of the increasingly popular alternative methods of treating anxiety disorders is taking omega 3 supplements. Omega 3 is an unsaturated fatty acid commonly found in most types of seafood, including salmon, caviar, mackerel, herring and cod. Originally found to help prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases, recent studies have now discovered that taking omega 3 for anxiety can help you deal with its symptoms without the need of anti-anxiety medications.

Understanding the Root Cause of Anxiety

In order to fully understand just how omega 3 supplements can help people suffering from anxiety disorders, we first need to understand the causes of anxiety. Anxiety is generally a mental disorder where a person experiences a sudden overwhelming feeling of fear and worry. There have been a number of different causes why a person can experience an anxiety disorder. Among these include surviving a traumatic experience and genetics. But in most cases, people suffering from anxiety disorders do so because of a chemical imbalance in the brain, specifically in the communication between the dopamine system - the part of the brain that is responsible for us to feel good - and the amygdala - the part of the brain that is responsible for us to experience a "fight or flight" feeling.

How Omega 3 Helps

The ability of using omega 3 for anxiety disorders resulted from numerous research studies conducted over a period of time. Medical professionals have determined that omega 3 helps improve the communication between the different neurotransmitters in our brain cells, ensuring that the right information is sent and received. On top of that, studies conducted with regards to using omega 3 to treat Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's have found that large quantities of omega 3 in the system helps to neutralize neurotoxins that may disrupt the normal functioning of the dopamine system. By eliminating these toxins, the dopamine system is able to function normally, sending feel good feelings to people experiencing anxiety attacks, making omega 3 for anxiety disorders extremely effective.

Omega 3 and Other Psychological Disorders

It is not only the use of omega 3 for anxiety disorder treatment that psychologists have slowly come to recognize. In fact, more and more psychologists have been prescribing omega 3 supplements in order to treat a variety of other psychological disorders ranging from depression to schizophrenia. It is also being used to help children and adolescents overcome learning and common behavioral disorders, making omega 3 supplements truly something that everyone should try and use today.

Bipolar Disorder Checklist - Do You Match Up?

If you think you may suffer from Bipolar Disorder, then this checklist may help you decide and give you some advice on how to deal with and get help to cure the disorder. Read on to find out more about the bipolar disorder checklist...

• Step 1. Do you have Bipolar Disorder? The main symptoms of the disorder are high and low mood swings. Suffers will fluctuate between extreme high and low states, with little or no control. When a suffer is experiencing a high they will appear to be ecstatically happy and hyperactive. The exact opposite can be seen during the low period, with sufferers seeming depressed and lethargic. People with the disorder swing wildly between the two states and find it hard to see the change in their own mood.
  


• Step 2. Diagnosis: is it depression or Bipolar Disorder? It's often difficult for doctors to diagnose Bipolar and in most cases it's misdiagnosed as depression. Try to see a psychiatrist for diagnosis, as they will often have a better understanding and experience of the disorder. There are various types of medication that can be prescribed, which help bipolar suffers lead a more settled life. If you or someone you know has been suffering from any of the symptoms from the bipolar disorder checklist for more than three weeks you should seek medical advice.
  


• Step 3. Counselling and support groups: If you're diagnosed with bipolar, make sure that you tell your close friends and family members. You will need an understanding group to help and support you through the bad times. Be sure to join a support group. This will give you a chance to meet other suffers and hear about their experiences. One 2 one counselling is also a great option and can be a great way for you to work through your problems.
  


• Step 4. Alternatives cures: After reading this bipolar disorder checklist you can start to help yourself reduce your own symptoms. Check out some on-line information and books for even more ways to help you deal with the disorder. Try to avoid triggers such as chocolate, fast food, drugs and alcohol. When you're going through the high (mania) try to avoid working long hours and reduce your stress levels. You may not feel like sleeping, but try and get 8 hours each night. If you are stressed out and running on empty, you are more likely to crash into a low depressed state.

Hopefully the Bipolar Disorder checklist has helped you gain a better understanding of the illness and what steps you should take if you recognise any of the symptoms in yourself. If you would like more information and advice on bipolar disorder checklists check out the links below.

Want to Get Rid of Sleep Paralysis? Read This Now

If you do not get rid of sleep paralysis you will suffer in the long run. These episodes leave you tired and emotionally drained and if not corrected will lead to more episodes. This condition normally occurs when a person is under tension and their stress levels are high. Stress and tension can be avoided by exercising frequently and not too close to sleep times.

Maintaining a regular sleeping pattern will also help. The idea is to get the body used to sleeping and waking up at particular times only. A random sleeping pattern will no doubt contribute to this condition because the brain is used to waking up at anytime. Sometimes even the position that you sleep in can have an effect. Some circles do not recommend sleeping on your back.

Some people believe that sleeping with lights on or having the TV or radio on helps. Yet these are the same things that will interfere with your sleep. The brain cannot ignore the stimuli produced by these things and at some point in your sleep they might trigger of a reaction. If you want to get rid of sleep paralysis a nice dark quiet room is what I recommend. Do note I said dark and not pitch black.

Other people have tried things like meditation and yoga or seeing a therapist. These alternatives do work because they focus on you having a clear mind. They try and get you in a relaxed mood. Which is what I said earlier avoid stress and get rid of tension.

If you want to get rid of sleep paralysis just try avoiding things that will interrupt your normal sleep pattern. There are some in depth, comprehensive and well looked into ideas available on this subject. Just make sure you know all there is to know.

Are You A Victim Of Sleep Panic Attacks?

In our stressful lives, it should not be surprising that a good portion of us is sleeping less soundly than previous generations. Most of the time a lack of deep sleep is related to how we function during the daytime. For the majority of humanity the whole sleep and awake cycle is voluntary that is mostly defined by the clock and hence is of no major concern, which is simply how some people are. However, there are those in whom the balance is indeed a very delicate one. When this balance is upset there is a sudden onset of inability to sleep that, in the initial stages, manifest as a lack of restfulness after waking up. This problem can reach chronic proportions quickly. Most people who seek medical attention for this problem will complain of any of the following three symptoms. Insomnia, daytime drowsiness, and irregular sleep behavior. Insomnia is more common than the other two symptoms and it is estimated that more than 25% of people are affected with different stages of insomnia. According to studies, women, elderly people, and shift workers are the ones who report more cases of insomnia than other segments of the population. Certain mental disorders like depression also cause insomnia. Sleep panic attacks are quite common among people who do not get regular sleep.

More than half of the people diagnosed with panic disorder suffer from nocturnal or sleep panic attacks. Although only 10% of all panic attacks happen at night they are still an issue of concern. Sleep panic attacks are bad because the patients begin to fear the nighttime and especially going off to sleep. They fear that during the sleep panic attack they will be comatose and hence unable to do anything if they suffer something violent. The cardiac arrest like symptoms most prevalent during sleep panic attacks make these people afraid that they might die if they have an attack while they are asleep.

Sleep panic attacks are not caused by dreams. This is known because medical studies have shown that sleep panic attacks happen during the early stages of sleep and not the REM phase when dreams usually occur. There are other disorders that are far severe than insomnia and they will often resemble sleep panic attacks in their symptoms because the victim will often wake up with palpitations, fear, shortness of breath, sweating, and so on. This type of sleep disorder occurs during the deep sleep.

Sleep apnea also causes the patients to wake up suddenly and though this sort of thing is not associated with any anxiety there is evidence indirectly linking it with sleep panic attacks since sleep apnea affects heart rate and blood pressure.

The precise reason for sleep panic attacks is not yet known. It is suspected that possible causes might include a build up of carbon dioxide in the body, a condition that is known as "false suffocation alarm" that causes the body to respond by strenuous breathing and rapid heart rate.

Sleep panic attacks are influenced by the events of daytime, alcohol, drugs, depression, and stress.

Hypoglycemia Insomnia - Sleep Problems Due to Hypoglycemia

One of the most frustrating symptoms of hypoglycemia is insomnia. Already severe strained and fatigues due to hypoglycemia, insomnia can literally push you into total breakdown. The constant pain, fatigue and sleep deprivation will wear anyone down physically and mentally.

Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep throughout the night. This inability to fall asleep can be caused by stress, anxiety about sleeping or stimulants such as coffee and tea. If you are a sufferer of hypoglycemia, then it is very likely that the cause of your insomnia is due to low blood sugar. When your blood sugar drops below a certain level, your brain will become stimulated and you will be woken up - prompting you to get something to eat. This is part of the body's defense mechanism.

If your insomnia is caused by hypoglycemia, the use of sleeping pills or other remedies can never help you to overcome insomnia because the root cause of the problem is not addressed - low blood sugar. Thus, in order to overcome your hypoglycemia induced insomnia, you will need to find way to maintain your blood sugar throughout the night.

One of the best ways to go about doing this is to have a light snack 1-2 hours before bed time. The choice of the snack should high in complex carbohydrates because they increase serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter that promotes sleep. In addition, complex carbohydrates are harder to break down into glucose and thus, they are absorbed slowly but constantly into the bloodstream. This property is what you are looking for to keep your sugar level constant throughout the night.

A few example of good bed time snacks are: bread (whole-grain), oatmeal, salads, etc.

Stimulants such as coffee, tea and alcohol should be avoided as they keep you mentally alert. Food high in sugar contents should also be avoided as they can raise your blood sugar level very quickly, prompting your pancreas to produce large amounts of insulin which will subsequently send you into hypoglycemic mode.

EFT Tapping and Insomnia - How to Use Tapping to Help You Fall Asleep More Easily

Tossing and turning all night? Read on to discover how EFT, i.e., Emotional Freedom Technique, can help you sleep better.

If you have trouble sleeping, you'll easily get caught up in a vicious cycle. You feel awful during the day because you can't sleep, and every night, you are afraid you won't be able to sleep AGAIN, which will make it even harder to fall asleep.

So what can you do to break through that cycle?

1) Use EFT for Insomnia

How about tapping, also known as EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique.

You see, one of the biggest reasons for sleeping problems and insomnia is stress. So the more stressed you are, the more badly you need sleep to recover, and yet sleep also gets more and more elusive.

And in order to sleep, you need to give stress a break.

So tapping to help you fall asleep might help, at least a little. And here's how you do it:

Use the following as a set-up phrase:

Even though I have trouble sleeping, I choose to feel calm and relaxed.

Even through I'm afraid I won't fall asleep AGAIN, I choose to feel calm and confident.

Even though I'm worried about how I feel tomorrow morning, I choose to let my body sleep if it wants to.

And then, you tap on the various points (eyebrow point, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collar bone, under arm, and top of head), repeating the negative phrases for a round or two, and then the positive phrases for another round -- or two.

2) Use EFT to Relieve Stress

However, if you're truly stressed, this will only get you so far. You also need to address the stress, and preferably do that first.

You can start generic, by tapping on "Even though I feel stressed..." but you should go deeper and tap on more specific issues.

Tap on what you're stressed about. Tap on what you're afraid will happen.

3) Other Helpful Tools

And even though tapping is generally amazingly effective, don't forget to do a few other helpful things as well.

For example, why not keep a journal next to your bed and write down the things that worry you so you can let them go, knowing they'll be there for you to pick up the next morning, if you should choose to get back to them.

Or write a gratitude list each night before you go to sleep. Reflect on a few things you're grateful for, no matter how small they might seem. And for best effects, do the same thing in the morning, to get the day off to a good start.

Also remember to make it easy for yourself to fall asleep. Make sure you're comfortable and that your room is dark and quiet. And why not scent your pillow with a little lavender or play some soothing music. If you then add tapping, you might wonder what happened to your insomnia.

Early Onset Bipolar Disorder - Does Your Child Suffer From Bipolar Disorder?

Early onset bipolar disorder occurs before the age of 21. While most people develop bipolar disorder as they enter puberty, the average time to diagnosis is ten years and will take three different doctors, on average.

How do you know if your child is suffering from early onset bipolar disorder? Here are the symptoms.

Changes in Mood

Severe changes in mood, such as huge swings between being happy, called mania, and sad, called depression.

High Risk Behavior

A common symptom of early onset bipolar disorder involves bad behavior, such as promiscuity, or using drugs and alcohol. Typically, teens with manic depression will act out, and be particularly difficult and rebellious.

Distractibility

Concentration will be difficult for a teen with bipolar disorder. They will have difficulty focusing in class, and may be reprimanded for bad behavior. Usually, teens with bipolar will suffer from poor marks in school, and may be wrongly diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder.

Thoughts of Suicide

A teen with early onset bipolar disorder will have dark thoughts, contemplating their own death, and either planning to or attempting to commit suicide. Sadly, suicide is a leading cause of death on teens, so it is important to know the health of your child.

Oversleeping or Overeating

A child with manic depression will have a difficult time getting up for school, and will have erratic sleep patterns. Obesity is common in those with the disorder, as food can be used in an attempt to self medicate the disorder. Alternatively, anorexia is less common, however, negative body image frequently occurs in those with the disease.

Hormone Imbalances And Depression

Serotonin depression is a mood disorder due to the imbalance in the hormone, serotonin. The symptoms can affect bipolar, anxiety and depressive eating disorders.

Serotonin is what is called a monoamine transporter. It carries important messages along the neural pathway in the brain. It's a bit like the postman who will use the pathways in the brain to carry the letter you posted.

In Serotonin depression it's as if the letter writer ran out of paper to write on or didn't mail it properly and the receptors pick it up too quickly and it gets scrambled up somehow. This causes an imbalance of mood, energy or understanding and can lead to depression. It has also been discovered that the release of serotonin is somehow tied in with the sleep cycle and the body's natural circadian rhythms.

There are two major types of serotonin depression. It can be due to a genetic defect in the brain's serotonin receptors (mailboxes), called 5HTT receptor sites. These are too short making them too quick to absorb the serotonin and then to release it back into the neural pathway properly causing a shortage.

Many antidepressant medications are designed to block these receptor sites (5HTT) from absorbing serotonin too quickly. That is why they are called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's) and are used for depression but recent tests are now questioning whether they are as effective as it was first believed. They have also found that it has an impact on the teenage suicide rate.

SSRI's may not be effective in many cases because of the brain's inability to produce enough serotonin to begin with. If levels of serotonin are too low the SSRI's won't work. This is the second type of serotonin depression - the brain's inability to produce enough serotonin. The problem is that one cannot just take a serotonin supplement. The brain's defence mechanism called the brain barrier protects it from outside chemicals which are why the supplements don't work well.

Sometimes the brain can temporarily get the extra serotonin it needs from carbohydrates in sugars and starches as these cause the pancreas to release insulin to break down sugars. This insulin gets the brain barrier to open and absorb the serotonin compounds giving the person a 'high' for a while until they run out of serotonin again. Then they crave more carbohydrates, put on weight and create a cycle which is why this is not a good way to get serotonin into the body.

Research shows that the body needs different hormones at different times of day such as melatonin to help us sleep and serotonin during the day. The control centre that regulates these hormones is called the Suprachaismatic Nucleus, or body clock, and is in a part called the hypothalamus in the back of the brain. This body clock uses light as a signal to know when to produce the right hormones and uses darkness to produce night time hormones. As people age or suffer from stress it can malfunction causing many a sleepless night. Light produces serotonin and light therapy has been found to help with mood disorders especially in winter with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

In terms of natural supplements studies show St. John's Wort (Hypericum) can sometimes be as effective as Prozac in treating depression because it affects all three neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine). There is no other pharmacological medication that does this and it works by causing these neurotransmitters to stay in the synaptic system longer and stopping absorption too quickly. These neurotransmitters are the messengers, carrying the brain's commands to where they need to go. Since they stay in the system longer, the brain's cells communicate better with each other and this is why many depressed people respond so well to St. John's Wort. It is important though that if you are on medication you tell your doctor you want to start taking St John's Wort as it accelerates the liver's ability to break down and can inter-act with other medications.

A vitamin B deficiency is also usually in play when one is depressed due to low folic acid levels. That is how depression usually starts. Medications also work better if folic acid is taken. Vitamin B also helps with mood swings associated with low self esteem, menopause and PMT. It is important to buy the highest B complex that you can find.

Fish oils such as Omega-3 Fatty Acids (DHA and EPA) are also anti-depressants and studies show they can help in stabilising bipolar depression. These may work by nourishing the nerve cells in the brain which are mostly made of DHE fatty acids. Depressed people have low DHE levels so the fish oil will raise these as well as lowering the risk of heart attacks, strokes and help build better bones. It is important to take vitamin C and E and other natural anti oxidants with these as they can produce free radicals if you take too much of them. Goji Juice is one of the best antioxidants. Also fish oils can sometimes interfere with anti-clotting medications.

DHEA is also a natural anti depressant which helps with moods but it may also affect hormone levels as DHEA is produced by the adrenal glands and converted into oestrogen, testosterone and other hormones in the body. Too much may cause oily skin, some facial hair which is rare and a lowering of the voice. Chromium Picolinate is helpful in cases of dysthymia and selenium helps with concentration and energy whilst Zinc can also lift one's mood.

The old remedy of L-Tryptophan, 5-HTP used in the past does not work that well though. Although L-Tryptophan is the basic building block of serotonin and 5-HTP is a synthesized intermediate compound close to serotonin and the combining of these doesn't necessarily produce more serotonin.

Serotonin is a difficult substance to produce artificially and therefore it makes serotonin depression a difficult disorder to treat.

Excessive Sweating In Children

If you notice excessive sweating in children, many times we perceive it to be a common phenomenon. This is justified as children are known to spend a considerable amount of their time playing in engaging in physical exertion. As such, they tend to sweat a lot more. However all may not be well and at times excessive sweating in children denotes a continuous and ongoing problem for the youngster. In case you observe that your ward or child is sweating incessantly, it's time to pay heed and take corrective action. Do confirm if the child has been experiencing excessive sweating even when they are in school or may be at other times that do not involve physical exertion. If the child answers in the affirmative or if you can clearly notice such an occurrence, it's important that you seek help.

Obviously, excessive sweating in children does not necessarily refer to Hyperhydrosis, but could be a tell tale sign. Since we are not professionals and would not be able to make an accurate judgment, seeking medical help is a great option. A few routine tests can determine the cause of excessive sweating in children. This can help determine what is plaguing the child and how his/her situation can be improvised.

In most instances, excessive underarm perspiration problems seem to start in ones adolescent years. However in case of the palm and sole, excess sweating starts a lot in a majority of cases. The armpit sweating concerns start to develop rapidly around the child's early teenage years in most cases. Now as adults we do realize how embarrassing sweating at all times can be. Excess sweating has many drawbacks and can influence a patient in a depressing manner. As adults we realize the implications, as children the situation is a lot tougher. Excessive sweating in children can cause uniforms to be stained and could cause increased body odor.

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Children and adolescents with Hyperhidrosis are in fact not only enduring a medical problem but tend to suffer a strong psychological setback. This is because their condition could cause them to be the butt of jokes at school. For this it may not always be possible to blame the other kids as children think in a very different manner. However, for a child who is ridiculed, facing school life becomes increasingly difficult. They start to undergo tremendous social embarrassment that is wholly connected to their excessive sweating condition. Continuous teasing can cause children to develop a low esteem. Many times, excessive sweating in a child can cause others to shun an affected child. This could be a very traumatizing experience and could cause the child to behave like a social outcast. Apart from this, excessive sweating in children could cause serious outcomes. This includes experiencing great difficulty in concentrating in school, obscurity and evasion of social situations.

Excessive sweating in children makes them rather self conscious and causes them to shy away from interactions. This is because , sick kids feel insecure and are in the search of a safe haven where they are not placed with others who would ridicule them, obviously parents will have serious concern regarding a child's behavior. Since it is difficult to pacify the child or help them see the situation, it is important that you seek proper guidance at the earliest possible. Apart from this it is essential that early treatment is introduced as this can greatly improve the child's quality of life. The situation may need psychiatric intervention and parents could also enroll in related forums and introduce children into help groups so they can help retain their lost faith.

How to Get a Good Night's Sleep Without Using Drugs

Sadly, too few people do not get the sleep they need in their day. They struggle with it and they fight with it to get the best sleep they can before they have to go off to work the next day. Worse still, many people cure their sleep with drugs, including sleeping pills, that can do more harm than good.

However, there are some tips that you can use to get a good night sleep without drugs, and simply by altering your daily habits.

Do not nap during the day because if you have trouble sleeping during the day, napping will throw off your body clock and make it even tougher for you to sleep during the night. If you do nap, do it early in the day and for no more than 30 minutes.

Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol. If you drink too many caffeinated or liquor beverages, you can seriously disrupt your sleep. The same is true with smoking, so avoid it.

Try and expose yourself to sunlight and bright lights when you wake up in the morning since this will help regulate your body's natural biological clock. Exercise early in the day, for 20 to 30 minutes, will help you sleep. Do not exercise at night, only in the morning or afternoon, because body activity can make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Iron in your body has a lot to say about how well you sleep. An iron deficiency can lead to problems sleeping, and if you have poor iron in your body, you may need to think about taking a supplement to help you sleep.

Your bed is for sleeping, so make it the place for sleeping. If you watch television, read and work in bed, then your body will not recognize that the bed is a place for rest and intimacy. It will recognize it as a place where you are active throughout the day. The bedroom should be peaceful and quiet. If there is a lot of outside noise from your bedroom, then do what you can to filter it out with a fan or white noise machine.

Scheduling your sleeping habits is very important. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on the weekends, to keep your body regular and not out of whack. Do not oversleep and do not go to bed too late. Get into the habit of certain bedtime rituals, including through soft music, herbal tea and other things to let your body know its time to sleep.

Do not eat before bed. If you eat before bed, you will have to deal with your body working to digest food, which can interrupt your sleep. Go to bed when you are tired, and fall asleep when you are sleepy. When you feel tired, just get in bed and read a book until you begin to doze off, then go to sleep.

Sleeping is very important, but not enough people get the sleep that they need on a regular basis. By incorporating good sleeping habits, you will be able to enjoy a good night sleep, and that means a better day afterwards.

People Affected by Insomnia

Studies estimate that up to one-third of American adults experience a form of insomnia each year, with up to 20% suffering from severe sleeplessness. In spite of this widespread problem, studies suggest only 30% of American adults who visit their doctor discuss sleep as an issue. On the other hand, doctors rarely inquire of their patients about their sleep issues or habits.

Independent studies indicate the three primary risk factors that attribute insomnia are: psychiatric issues, physical complaints and chronic pain. In fact, about 90% of people with depression also have insomnia. Physical complaints such as headaches and chronic pain with no associated cause are main factors for insomnia.

There is a high incidence insomnia and depression coincide with somatic symptoms (chronic pain). Further, insomnia worsens conditions involving chronic pain for people who are not depressed. Typically headaches manifesting during the early morning or night could be caused by sleep issues. In one of the studies, patients who were treated for their insomnia, over 65% reported their headaches disappeared.

Interestingly, insomnia typically affects more women than men, although men are not completely immune from the disorder. As people age, the quality of sleep deteriorates equally in both men and women. A major study demonstrated as males age from their teens to their 50s, they lose up to 80% of their ability to achieve deep sleep.

During that same time period, light sleep increases and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep remains unchanged. After age 44 REM and total sleep diminish and awakenings increase. This study did not include females, and there is some evidence to indicate that women are not as affected as they age as men. However, young adult women suffer from sleep disorders due to both biologic and cultural reasons.

Various women issues have been linked to insomnia such as hormonal events, like premenstrual syndrome, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. These conditions are natural, and in most cases, sleep disturbance is temporary and can be mitigated with both sleep hygiene and the passage of time.

After childbirth, most women develop a high sensitivity to the sounds of their children, which causes them to wake easily. Women who have had children sleep less efficiently than women who have not had children. It is possible that many women never unlearn this sensitivity and continue to wake easily long after the children have grown.

Generally, other groups of people likely to suffer from sleep issues include those who travel frequently (jet lag), those suffering from chronic stress and individuals suffering injuries to the brain. Most Americans achieve 7 hours of sleep a night or less. To be more mentally alert and to avert the risk of other serious health issues, doctors suggest people get a full 8 hours of restful sleep per night.

Autism - Proprioception and Sensory Needs - What I Do to Help My Son Settle and Sleep

My four year old is a bundle of energy. He flits from one thing to the next without a breath. Diagnosed with Autism and also ADHD he has many of the usual difficulties faced by children with this diagnosis. When I talk about proprioception in relation to my son I am talking about some of these challenges.

Proprioception is about knowing where we are in our space. Most of us can tell if we are standing straight or leaning, near an object or farther away. For Billy this is not always the case. Before his diagnosis and before I had any sort of understanding of his world, he drove me crazy... Don't get me wrong, I love this little boy to the extreme, however - not one night went by without he ended up not only in my bed, but trying to sleep so pressed against me that I had to hold myself from falling out. Day after day, he would run around and around our house with countless bumps and falls. His constant need to feel surfaces against him as he ran would result in all sorts of injuries. As a mum it was horrible to see him bumping himself all the time, but because at that time I did not understand what he needed, the attempts to help him were not enough. Reading books and working with our OT has changed things for the better and once I began to understand my sons condition I could be more proactive. Taking a look at what I had been doing, I realised that I was on the right track, but I had to do more.

Problem - Billy needs to concentrate to gain sensory input from the world around him. Nuro-typicals do not.

The answer - Give him what he needs.

These are some of the strategies that I am using with Billy.

Swinging Hammock - Billy has a hammock that is attached under our veranda with both ends tied in the one spot. This means the hammock is like a pocket for him to climb into. He gets in on his tummy and can spin himself around, back and forth, side to side. While he is doing this he is getting a pressure feedback against his skin and body that is sending messages to his brain and allowing his system to relax and not have to think about where he is.

Trampoline - Trampolines are great in so many ways. Billys has a cover over it and he can go out there when ever needed. Sometimes he is so unsettled at night that he asks to go out and jump just to help him relax. He has a 2 minute timer that he takes with him. When the timer goes off he comes back in and settles down. The netted trampolines provide an enclosed place to play and also is a spot we use for his activities. Billy has many crash mats that we use for him to jump into and these can be put onto the tramp and he can jump around in them while bouncing. Like everything, you need to be careful while on the trampoline with children.

Crash mats - As I mentioned "crash mats" can be used anywhere. We have them on our veranda as well as in Billys room. They are mainly bean bags filled with foam offcuts but the ones that work best are the big ones made from old dooner covers. Just get offcuts from places like clark rubber and fill the cover, then sew it up. Make sure that there is enough foam in the bag for it to be safe to jump on and also provide a good safe area for them to play in while using it. Make sure little kids are not able to get under the crash mats especially while the big kids are using them.

Blankets - Squash Squash Squash - Billy and his brother love this game. Just pack some blankets under them and then also on top - make sure you only cover their mid section so that their head and legs are free. Light pressure only is needed, but make a lot of noise about it. I tend to say silly things like 'Im a squissy monster, I'm going to squish you" - They laugh at me and love it. Billy tells me he likes to be a Billy sandwich, meaning that he is in the middle of the blankets.

Obstacle games - These ones are great, you get them down on the floor going under things, using all fours (this is great locality sensation for their system and also has many other benefits in the cognitive functions) climb around and in between objects, make a pillow mountain to climb over and then do a puzzle while laying under the coffee table. (anything you can come up with that will challenge them safely.)

Weighted toys - Weighted blankets and toys are fairly new to me. Since diagnosis I understand much more, but before that when someone suggested a weighted blanket I thought the idea was ridiculous because my children never liked to have any covering on them to sleep at all and if they did it had to be the exact one that they had chosen. It did not make sense to me that a child that did not like anything to touch him, should have a heavy weighted blanket on him to help him sleep. - Then I found out what was really the issue with Billy and his brother. It is actually the light touch of the sheet or blanket that is the problem. It is not that they don't like anything touching them, it is that they don't like to light touch of things. It took no time for Billy to take to his weighted blanket. Not only that, he also has a 2 kilogram weighted snake that he runs with around his neck and also has beside him while he sleeps. Running with the snake does not stop him, but you would be amazed as to how much slower and safer he is with it on. ( It also has the added benefit of making him tired carrying it around ) Billy still sleeps with his favourite blanket and it has to be the right way around and very exact, however he also has the weighted blanket over the top. He still ends up in my bed, but thankfully not as often.

There is no 1 magic cure, working with your child to figure out what they need is the key. Don't worry if you are asking the right questions, just keep asking and listen to what they tell you. Many times I have heard my son trying to explain what he is needing but only since I have tuned into his needs am i really hearing him.

If you are reading this right now, you are already trying to understand your child and therefore are well on the way to providing them with their needs. Keep up the good work.

Suzanne

Worms in Children - How to Treat Them and Avoid Them

Thread worms are thriving everyday in the bottoms of little children and affecting their daily activities and causing sleepless nights for many families. It's not a nice experience but easily identified and treated. I am frequently finding worms a problem for our little pre-school aged non-sleepers and mum and dad are horrified. Worms are spread very easily in the community across all social backgrounds and generations. They are spread most commonly in pre-schoolers' because in my experience the only things toddlers share are germs (and love) and this age group are not always efficient at hand washing, particularly before eating.

How do we identify a child with worms?

*An infected child has an itchy bottom!! They will naturally be very irritable during the day, frustrated, uncooperative, fidgety, not be able to sit still, cannot concentrate, argumentative and angry. Often the most common reason for children trying to climb out of the cot is that they have worms.

*You might suspect someone performed a personality transplant on your little angel!

*They want to scratch their bottom and will commonly be seen taking their clothes or nappy off.

*They will walk strangely like they are trying to keep a coin safely between their buttocks and having trouble (imagine).

*They will frequently urinate and or bed wet at night.

*They will not be able to go to sleep and not be able to explain why to you, but will be crying and uncomfortable, not naughty.

What to look for

*If you suspect worms, look for a pinky/red rash about 2cm wide completely around the outside of the genital area

*If you wish to look for worms, keep the room dark, ask for your partners help, comfort the child and 'spring' a torch light onto the exposed bottom. The worms come out at night to lay eggs. This process creates the uncomfortableness and irritability. So in the night time only you will see 1.5cm long wriggling pieces of white sewing cotton, moving fast away from the light, around the anal passage. In girls the worms can crawl into the vagina and be even more irritable.

How to get rid of them

*Firstly, collect as many worms as you can see immediately and dispose of them. Your child will feel calmer after the worms have disappeared from the skin.

*If you have a daughter and you suspect they are in the vaginal area, you can very gently slightly spread open the outer labia (flaps of skin) and if you see any worms, gently roll them onto a cotton bud (q tip). Tissues and cotton balls are too large and you won't be able to see what you are doing. (personal experience) This will provide immediate relief from the irritation of the worms trying to lay eggs in this sensitive area

*Apply a thick layer of Vaseline to the anal area to provide temporary relief to the skin and catch any worms that come out again in the night.

*Wash in hot water/use the dryer/hot sun on all linen, towels and clothing worn by the child. Repeat for the whole family. The worms can live outside the body long enough to infect everyone.

*There are a variety of medications to offer your family. There are one dose liquids, orange chewable tablets and chocolate squares, please do the whole family the day you find the worms and then again 7 days later in case of re-infestation See your pharmacist for the appropriate dose and the minimum age.

*It's a good idea to keep the medication in your medicine cupboard (personal experience), it will be late at night that you discover them, the shops will be closed and no-one can sleep if anyone else has worms crawling out of their bottom!

*Please inform your pre-school/daycare centre if your child has them (even anonymously if embarrassed) so that other families can be on the look out for them and the centre's can be more proactive with hygiene and symptoms in other children. Always think about whether you would appreciate the warning if another child had worms and played with your child.

How do children get worms?

*Through their mouth.

*The worms come out at night to lay their eggs in the tissue around the anal passage, this causes the skin irritation.

*The child scratches their bottom because it's itchy.

*The eggs get under the finger nails and are spread onto everything the child touches: toys, toilets, taps, towels, pencils, chairs, etc.

*The next child/person touches the same objects and then....doesn't wash their hands before eating/ touching the face and they swallow them.

Tip The simplest form of infection control used in hospitals everyday that prevents doctors and nurses from catching all of the bugs in the hospitals is HAND WASHING. Make it a family routine that no-one eats before they have washed and thoroughly dried their hands. Encourage this at pre-school and day care as well. If we start young enough the children will think it as normal as cleaning their teeth before bed or kissing you good bye. It is up to us as parents to start and lead by example with these sensible habits.

(C) Copyright-Natalie Ebrill. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Dental Sedation and Autism

Oral health care for a child with the diagnosis of autism is not much different from the oral health care of other children. However, children with autism often have difficulty in communication skills, so cooperation from your child might be a difficult challenge when visiting the dentist. For parents of children with autism, a visit to the dentist is more than a child opening his or her mouth and getting a reward after. If your child is too difficult to work with and the need for a dental procedure is urgent enough, a dentist may have no choice but to use dental sedation in order to perform his job.

What is dental sedation? Is it necessary? Is it safe?

Sedation is the utilization of medications called "sedatives" to create a state of relaxation. It is usually done to facilitate a medical, or in this case, dental procedure. There are three levels of sedation that may be used with pediatric patients that require extensive dental care:

-Conscious sedation is inducing a minimally depressed level of consciousness that retains the patient's ability to maintain an open airway independently and continuously and respond appropriately to physical stimulation or verbal commands.

-Deep sedation is a type of sedation in which the patient is not easily aroused and which may be accompanied by a partial loss of protective reflexes, including the ability to maintain an airway or to respond properly to physical stimulation or verbal commands.

-General anesthesia is an induced state of unconsciousness. The patient cannot respond to physical or verbal stimulation of any kind and it will be up to the dentist to insure that an airway is maintained.

Most people immediately associate sedation with general anesthesia, in which the patient is put to sleep during the whole procedure and awakens afterward in a recovery room. However this is normally the last possible choice for a pediatric dentist. He will recommend a lower level of sedation instead if he can, trying to use whichever form of anesthesia has the lowest risk while being effective. To make his decision he will take the child's age, cognitive level, coping and communication skills, physical health, the attitude of the parents toward anesthesia and the urgency of the procedure into consideration.

Although the decision regarding which level of sedation to be used on your child must ultimately be made by the dentist, you as the parent should always have a say in the matter. If you are not comfortable with the suggestion of your dentist, make sure that your concerns about it are heard. To help you further understand the decision the dentist will be making, here are some guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAPD) that the dentist will be using in making his recommendation: (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 2010)

The AAPD recommends conscious sedation for:

-Preschool children who cannot understand or cooperate for definitive treatment

-Patients requiring dental care who cannot cooperate due to lack of psychological or emotional maturity

-Patients requiring dental treatment who cannot cooperate due to a cognitive, physical or medical disability

-Patients who require dental care but are fearful and anxious and cannot cooperate for Treatment

The AAPD recommends deep sedation or general anesthesia for:

-Patients with certain physical, mental or medically compromising conditions

-Patients with dental restorative or surgical needs for whom local anesthesia is ineffective

-The extremely uncooperative, fearful, anxious or physically resistant child or adolescent with substantial dental needs and no expectation that the behavior will improve soon

-Patients who have sustained extensive orofacial or dental trauma Patients with dental needs who otherwise would not receive comprehensive dental care

Sedation Procedure

Dental Sedations are usually done in an outpatient dental clinic that is well-equipped. The whole procedure usually won't take more than 90 minutes for most procedures. Although some details vary depending on the dentist's practice among other things, in general the process will go like this:

-Initial assessment of the pediatric dentist and scheduling of the actual procedure.

-Consent signing by the parents

-Guidelines are given prior to the procedure - your child will be asked to go on a NPO (nothing per orem or mouth) diet 6-8 hours before the procedure. This is a standard operating procedure for any sedation process. It will aid in the proper ventilation of your child and will avoid any episodes of vomiting after the procedure is done.

-Sedation medication is introduced via injection, an IV line, rectal line (just like when you give suppositories for fever), orally or through inhalation.

-Dental procedures are done. Your child may or may not be strapped onto a papoose board. Papoose boards restrain the child's limbs and help in stabilizing your child during the procedure. Oxygen and pulse oximeters should be available and used if the need arises.

-Monitoring of the patient until sedative wears off.

Safety of Sedation

Sedation is an accepted standard of care. The 3 levels of sedation are all accepted and supported by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, the American Medical Association, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Pediatrics dentists are also trained and certified to perform sedation as part of their profession. Usually, dentists who specialize in treating pediatric patients are also well equipped to handle children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

How to Handle Difficult Behavior of 10-11 Year Old Children

Handling difficult behavior of 10-11 year old children is never an easy task; however, read further for some great tips on how mange their difficult behavior. This article isn't just for parents, it will work for anyone taking care of a 10 or 11 year old - teachers, babysitters, grandparents, and anyone that plays in a leadership role with your child.

The great thing about this age group is the children have developed attachment to things or activities. A threat to end the activity or take away a prized possession, could be just the trick to getting the child to behave. However, this will only work for a short period of time and cause more harm than good in the long run. Also, avoid using threats with your 10-11 year old, they just communicate that you are frustrated. Your child will quickly pick up on your "hot buttons" and continue to test the waters even further.

Also, while screaming or yelling may be a natural response when the child is testing your limits, try talking with them in a direct, firm manner without raising your voice. This will send a message to the child that there is a level of respect as well as disappointment in their behavior. Again, it is very important to follow through with any reprimanding.

Lastly, if there is another adult in the child's life, make sure they are on the same page. If you are threatening the child by taking away television privileges and the other adult allows the child to watch TV, the child's behavior will not change. If the other adult also allows the child to get away with their difficult behavior, the child will not make any progress.

Try these helpful hints and the child's behavior is bound to improve.