Sleep DisordersChildren's Sleep Disorders: Is Your Child at Risk?Recent research has shown that children simply aren't getting enough of the sleep they need these days. It seems that kids today do worse in school and have less attention span. Most parents are unaware of a common problem affecting thousands of children in this country: sleep disorders. Parents often fail to follow children's sleep patterns, which can result in some serious side effects if the child has a sleep disorder. A study conducted at Tulane University in New Orleans examined approximately 300 first graders who were performing poorly academically. They found that 18% showed signs of sleep problems. The percentage of children with poor grades who had sleep problems was six to nine times higher than that found in a previous study of the entire child population. (The Toronto Star). Most people believe that sleep disorders only affect adults, but in reality 30% of all children suffer from some type of sleep disorder. (Burcum). Sleep disorders are defined as a group of syndromes characterized by disturbances in the patient's quantity of sleep, the quality or timing of sleep, or the behaviors or physiological conditions associated with sleep. To qualify for a sleep disorder diagnosis, the condition must be a persistent problem, cause the patient significant emotional distress, and interfere with their social or occupational functioning. (Frey p265). Some sleep disorders can affect children of all ages. The sleep disturbance to which children are subject often depends on their age and development. Sleep disorders change more frequently in the middle school years. Children often experience more anxiety at this time. (Burcum). Normally it is not possible to identify the source of a certain sleep disorder in every case. Many factors come into play when addressing the cause of a sleep disruption. Parental characteristics, personality, psychosocial influences, education, parenting skills, stress, trauma, school, culture, and personal health can cause sleep disturbances in young and middle-aged children. Some parents believe that children there sleep too much, while others do not. I don't sleep enough. Some fall asleep at the wrong times while others can't even fall asleep. Around 100 different sleep disorders are currently being studied. Although sleep is a basic behavior in animals as well as humans...... middle of paper ...... and Psychiatry. (1992).12 September 2001. http://www.Ilboro.ac.uk/departments/hu/groups/sleep.comKlein, Hanne. "Troubled Nights". The Dallas Morning News. March 1, 1999. September 19, 2001. http://www.elibrary.com/s/edumark/getdoc.comKryger, Meir. "Childhood sleep apnea". Online publication. March 24, 1999. September 19, 2001. http://www.stanford.eduKryger, Meir. "Children and sleepwalking". Online publication. April 15, 1998. September 19, 2001. http://www.standford.edu/slpwalking.htmlKryger, Meir. "Night terrors in children". Online publication. September 10, 1998. September 12, 2001. http://www.standford.edu/terrors.html"Night Terrors." The video Sleep well for insomniac parents. Retrieved September 12, 2001. http://www.sleeptight.com/EncyMaster/N/night.html"Sleep Disorders Affect Children." The Toronto Star. September 11, 1998. September 19, 2001. http://www.elibrary.com/s/edumark/getdoc.com"Sleep Problems." Online publication by Keep Kids Healthy.com. April 20, 2000. September 12, 2001. http://www.keepkidshealty.com/schoolageproblems/sleep.html"Tipsheet: Nightmares, Night Terrors, and Walking in the