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Vital Jumps

Dr. Neal Alpiner's Blog

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Dear Parents,

Throughout the past several decades each generation has been defined by certain unique characteristics. The post WWII Baby Boomers were looked upon as the generation of hope. Ready for the challenges and the future that lied ahead. Their children,defined by transition was known as Generation X. The group ( 1965-1985), replaced optimism with a hazy sense of identity and self. This confusion led to the highly technologically driven, self-conscious, Generation Y, mid 1980s - 1990s.

What defines our current generation of post-millenials? They are characterized by the need for speed. Our children expect answers in microseconds not minutes. They crave stimulation and live in a world of sensory overload. Caffeine courses through their veins. This generation is what I would call the Sleep Walking Generation, on overload, rarely rested.

Have you ever seen the horror movies were the zombies walk with outstretched arms, their facies are pale and emotionless, moaning and constantly in search of energy sources. Well, that about describes our current generation of kids. Attentional Deficit Disorder is passé the new health crisis facing our youth is Pediatric Sleep Deficit Disorder.

Sleeping patterns in childhood go through many major changes from infancy to adolescence. But what does not change is the need for sleep and the health implications when sleep is felt to be a luxury not a necessity.

Sleep shifts throughout childhood based on hormonal and neurologic rhythms. Teenager brains undergo tremendous neural maturation and in doing so require unique sleep needs. Their chaotic, almost ‘schizophrenic’ minds ( for those of you with teenagers it does get better) have sleep onset latencies ( when the brain tells the body enough for one day) occur later in the evening, can be up to 12-1 am. They require then later morning sleep and have more difficult arousal states, they take longer to wake up and shift into a get-up-and go mindset. So, in this fast paced, highly competitive world where there are just not enough hours in a day for our kids sleep, if you pardon the pun, it is the sleep that is the part of the day that becomes the sacrificial lamb. Our children don’t count sheep they count milligrams of caffeine.

Sleep Deficit Disorder is not limited to teenagers, children under thirteen, the Tweeners are at risk if not more so, as expectations to achieve in school, participate in athletics/dance/afterschool programs, and balance social life is ever mounting. Recent studies have revealed that the average amounts of sleep on childhood have steadily been decreasing by 10-20% per year.

Many of the disorders affecting our childhood are caused by or exacerbated by disturbances in sleep. Current research has identified that sleep deficit in childhood has been linked to the development of numerous physical and psychological symptom.

Physical Symptoms Associated with SDD are...

• fatigue, frequent infections
• weight gain/obesity
• hypertention allergies
• reduced coordination
• poor reaction time
• poor school performance
• poor athletic performance
• lossed coordination
• reduced attention
• diabetes

Psychological Symptoms Associated with SDD are ...

• anxiety, depression
• emotional liability
• poor concentration, memory, attention
• negative self thoughts, stress, lower self esteem
• loss of creativity
• diminished social skills
• learning disability

Common Disorders Linked to SDD

• Attentional Deficit Disorder Depression
• Childhood onset Obesity Learning Disability
• Diabetes Hypertension
• Anxiety

Sleep is crucial to the regulation of growth and development during childhood. Neurologic systems create new pathways for learning and memory during sleep. Hormonal systems have set patterns during set stages of sleep when e.g. testosterone, estrogen, growth hormone and cortisol release allowing for childhood maturation. Bones, tendons and connective tissues heal and grow during later stages in sleep and athletic performance is enhanced through energizing sleep. Immune performance, the bodies ability to prevent infections and to fight off infections has strong ties to amount of functional sleep. Mental performance, emotional maturity and sense are regulated through sleep.

Benefits of Sleep

• memory building
  
• immune fighting
• improved injury repair, improved tissue repair
• better language skills
  
• weight loss
• hormone regulation
  
• insulin regulation
• emotional stability
  
• stress tolerance
• improved physical performance

A childhood health crisis exists and it is growing not shrinking. There are several areas as parents and professionals we must take a stand and change the shift of tide in a positive not negative direction for our children. One key area where we can make a significant improvement is indentifying those children with SDD , and those children who are currently at risk for SDD and developing a comprehensive treatment approach.

Take our sleep survey to see if SDD is affecting your child and family.  If it is, I am sure we can help.

Best regards,

Dr. Neal M. Alpiner

The Child Prodigy Blog

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