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Q.

What can I do to help my 9 year old son who falls aleep easily, but then wakes up several times a night?

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Answers From Experts & Organizations (1)

Aatif M. Husain, MDAatif M. Husain, MDSUCCESS!
Aatif M. Husain, MD
Sleep Disorders
Duke Sleep Disorders Center
7 Answers
13 Helpful Votes
6 Followers
A.

Insomnia in children is quite common. It can become very problematic for parents as this disturbs their sleep as well. Often the children do not seem too bothered by their insomnia. There can be many causes for this type of insomnia. Use of caffeine, refined sugars and heavy meals, particularly at night, can cause this problem. Another common reason for insomnia in kids is sleep association disorder. In this disorder children learn to fall asleep with a particular object or activity (such as rocking or patting). When they wake up periodically at night (as all of us do normally), they are unable to fall back asleep until they again have the same object or activity. Sleep apnea can also occur in children and can cause insomnia. These are only a few of the reasons a child can have sleep maintenance insomnia. I would suggest talking first with your pediatrician. Often it is a problem that they can easily address. If not, they may recommend further consultation depending on what they think is going on.

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