| This is an area that has not had enough research. The | | | | You might also want to talk about any other health |
| general consensus is that either ADD causes sleep | | | | issues such as asthma, allergies, or vitamin and mineral |
| disturbances like insomnia and fragmented sleep (sleep | | | | deficiencies. There could also be side effects to |
| that is not continuous) or that sleep deprivation can | | | | medication. |
| bring on the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. So how do | | | | The best thing you can do is to help your child is to |
| you know what to look for? How do you know what | | | | create a good sleep environment. You set the best |
| came first? | | | | example. Eliminate caffeine, increase exercise and |
| The first thing is to look for obvious signs of a sleep | | | | outdoor play, not eating at least two hours before bed |
| disorder. Does your child snore? If you listen to your | | | | time, and avoiding sleeping medications help to increase |
| child and when they snore you hear interruptions | | | | your child's sleepiness. Create a room for sleep. Have |
| followed by gasping you might be hearing sleep apnea. | | | | room darkening curtains on the windows, this will also |
| These issues can be caused from enlarged tonsils and | | | | help to keep noise out. Do not have a television in your |
| adenoids, allergies or obesity. | | | | child's room, the stimulation from it will not allow the |
| There could also be a condition called restless leg | | | | brain to prepare for sleep. |
| syndrome. This is a creepy crawly sensation in the | | | | Finally, a hot bath and a routine that you follow each |
| legs or arms that makes your child feel like they have | | | | night will help your child and his mind get ready for bed. |
| to move. It usually happens in the evening and | | | | The routine teaches the brain this is what we do for |
| continues through bed time. These issues cause sleep | | | | bed so its time to quiet down. The hot bath and the |
| deprivation because it will disrupt sleep, delay the onset | | | | body cooling down afterwords is a cure to the brain |
| of sleep and can prevent deep slow wave sleep or | | | | that it is sleep time. |
| REM sleep, the stage when you dream. The side | | | | In the end there is no concrete rule that sleep causes |
| effects of sleep deprivation are fatigue, irritability, | | | | ADD/ADHD or that ADD/ADHD causes sleep |
| inattentiveness, and in children sometimes aggression. | | | | problems. As more research is done we will get more |
| The best thing you can do is start by talking to your | | | | answers that will help children to sleep and learn |
| doctor about any sleep issues your child might have. | | | | optimally. |