Sleep disorders like insomnia affect children and infants as well as adults. They are also victims of the same irritableness and drowsy feelings that adults suffer from. However, in the case of pediatric sleep disorder, there is a better chance of diagnosing the causes. This is important because otherwise the children find it difficult to concentrate in their studies, play with friends or pursue their hobbies.

The possible causes of pediatric sleep disorder include stress, constipation, pain due to various reasons, nightmares, bed-wetting episodes, anxiety, peer pressure, fear of the dark, and others.

Stress for children can occur due to excessive homework, bullying at school, or scoldings from the teacher. Marital discord at home also causes fear and anxiety that leads to insomnia. It is better to discuss the child's behavior at schools with the authorities, and find out if any painful episodes are occurring.

An upset tummy or overeating of junk food leads to constipation, which could cause pain at night that could reduce the important eight hours of sleep that every child needs. Taking analgesics will relieve the problem and ensure proper sleep. Similarly, muscle cramps in the calf or shoulder may hamper sleep.

Sleep apnea and restless legs are common causes of sleep disorders. Also, grinding of the teeth, clinically called Bruxism, is a widely known cause of sleeplessness. This is mostly due to hidden stress and anxiety that is articulated in a different manner.

Most children are afraid of the dark. Switching off the light at bedtime is a debate in most homes. Some children prefer to have a nightlight switched on, as they feel more secure. Apart from the dark, children get nightmares that could cause them to wake up screaming or sweating excessively. Preventing them from watching horror movies or other scary shows will reduce the occurrences. Sleepwalking, talking in sleep, and sleeping with the eyes open are forms of sleep disorders. All these pass away with age.

Treatments include behavioral therapy, and prescriptive medicines such as antihistamines and alpha-agonists. However, physicians are skeptical about the negative effects of medications, since no drug has been labeled as safe for children suffering from sleep disorders.