Most children affected by Cerebral Palsy (CP) tend to face issues while sleeping. In fact, the problem is so frequent that 1 in every 5 children suffers from a sleep disorder. Cerebral palsy in children has many issues like spasticity, constipation, postural sensation and breathing problems that lead to sleep issues. Beside this biological clock of child is also disturbed because of brain insult itself.
In addition to the above, CP can make children susceptible to spinal deformity such as scoliosis. Some of these children have difficulty in their vision, preventing them from identifying darkness outside. Any of these factors can prevent children from having sound sleep in the night. Here are some tips to help them sleep better: 1. Relaxing routine- Children must have a relaxing routine at night to gradually get into the sleep mode. Too much stimulation, especially on smartphones, can be detrimental to sleep. This routine needs to be consistent and should include dinner and then a warm bath. Brushing teeth, stories, light massage and then lying down would be perfect for the child. Dinner and liquid should be given a minimum 2 hours before sleep to prevent from regurgitation. 2. Taking naps- Certain children are likely to face sleeping disorders in the night due to anxiety and exhaustion. These can be relieved if they take half to one-hour naps in the afternoon, enabling them to have a relaxed sleep at night. 3. Best sleeping position- The best sleeping position is lateral side-lying with one thin pillow between both legs and below the neck. The hand of the child should not be below pillow or head. The hand should be on the front of the chest. The bed should not be too hard too soft but it should be comfortably moderately soft bed. It is better to sleep in the left lateral position but can be on either side and in changing position from side to supine. 4. Follow a healthy diet- Cerebral palsy in children tends to make them face difficulties while swallowing, even choking them at times. Such children have a high chance of not receiving adequate nutrition, thereby leading to low weight and poor growth. 5. Medical problems- Seizures, sleep apnea, and reflux are some of the common problems faced in CP. These problems need to be addressed before commencing treatment. PSG (Polysomnogram) and MSLT (Multiple Sleep Latency Test) can be useful in such cases. 6. Sleeping pills - some children with CP some time need sleeping pills but it should not be used without consulting neurologists/pediatricians. Sometimes sleeping pills are being prescribed along with anti-epileptic medicine. Medicine area also available for correcting biological clocks, these medicines are not habit-forming. |
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