Sleep disorder linked to behavior problems in young diabetics
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By Stephen Lau
Monday Jan 2, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Sleep disorder, which is linked to worse control of blood sugar, poorer school performance, occurs commonly to children with Type 1 diabetes, according to a new study appearing in the January 2012 issue of the journal Sleep.
The study was conducted on a group of 50 Type 1 diabetics, ages 10 to 16 and another healthy group. The result shows that young diabetics spent more time in a lighter stage of sleep than those who were healthy.
"Despite adhering to recommendations for good diabetic health, many youth with Type 1 diabetes have difficulty maintaining control of their blood sugars," said Michelle Perfect, PhD, the principal investigator in the study.
"We found that it could be due to abnormalities in sleep, such as daytime sleepiness, lighter sleep and sleep apnea. All of these make it more difficult to have good blood sugar control."
The scientists also found that about one-third of the youths had sleep apnea, which is associated with Type 2 diabetes, and the blood sugar level was significantly higher.
Perfect admitted that further study is needed to decide if sleep apnea and its impact are confined to older people with diabetes.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, more than 70 million people in the U.S. have a sleep disorder. Most of those who have one are completely unaware of it. Many of those who are aware of it never choose to seek the help that they need.
If the children have sleep problems, the family may have to spend much time on taking care of them. The value of sleep can be measured by your child’s smiling face, happy nature and natural energy. A tired child may have development or behavior problems.
Many parents are unsure of how much their child should sleep. Experts recommend that your child get the following amount of sleep at each stage of growth:
Infants (3 to 11 months): 14 to 15 hours
Toddlers: 12 to 14 hours
Preschoolers: 11 to 13 hours
School-age children: 10 to 11 hours
A child’s sleep problems can also cause unnecessary stress for you as a parent and other members of your family.
Tips below may help your child sleep better:
Set up a consistent bedtime routine.
Relax your child before she/he is going to sleep.
Make the room more comfortable.
Keep your child’s mood in a stable situation.
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