Other Common Childhood Sleep Disorders

• Insomnia – The patient is unable to fall asleep and/or remain asleep for a reasonable amount of time.

• Parasomnias – The patient experiences sleep walking, teeth grinding, and night terrors. These symptoms are sometimes associated with stress and depression.

• Narcolepsy – The patient has a chronic neurological condition caused by the brain's inability to regulate the sleep–wake cycle normally. Patients with narcolepsy have uncontrollable urges to sleep at inappropriate times during the day. They may also experience muscle weakness after laughing or crying outbursts.

• Periodic leg movement disorder – The patient experiences sudden jerking or bending of the arms and legs during sleep. These symptoms range from small shudders of the ankles and toes to leg kicks and flailing of arms and legs. These periodic movements often wake the person, significantly disturbing the quality of his or her sleep.