Disrupted sleep common in children with FASD
By Laura Liberty
Children with FASD often have difficulties falling asleep. They also experience interrupted sleep, waking several times during the night or early morning.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can affect the healthy development of the brain, and the brain controls normal sleep patterns.
Sleep integrity is vital to the development of children. According to Dr. Maida Lynn Chen, writing in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, disrupted sleep can cause a wide range of health and behavioural problems, including depression and anxiety, seizures, poor school performance, neurocognitive deficits, daytime hyperactivity and inattention, mood instability, decreased growth, and metabolic alterations.
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is a small region in the brain that controls the circadian rhythm, which is best described as the body’s natural internal clock. When working properly the SCN coordinates internal physiological processes between day and night.
Children with sleep disorders often experience a delayed onset of melatonin production by the pineal gland. They may also experience low levels of melatonin secretions during the night. Melatonin is a popular natural solution, and plays a role in causing drowsiness and lowering the body temperature.
Some children with FASD may have difficulties falling asleep. Some have difficulties waking from sleep and when they do they can be very difficult to manage.
Children that experience nightmares can have great difficulty falling back to sleep again because they can perseverate or get stuck on the dream. If possible sleeping with the child may be a solution.
Although every child is different interventions will need to be tailored individually.
Medications containing tryptophan and clonidine may be helpful to assist sleep in individuals with FASD.
Strategies recommended for toddlers with FASD include reading stories and giving back massages at bedtime. Bedtimes should be consistent and white noise emitters can be used to block out other sounds in the house.
Pre-schoolers (3-5) can be offered gentle back, neck and head rubs, and room light and stimuli should be reduced. For example, use blackout blinds and remove toys at bedtime.
Although a child may not be ready to sleep they should still be in their bedroom at a consistent time.
When toddlers wake from sleep, keep the room light off, move slowly, and reassure the child without using a lot of words. Use quiet music, and keep the room warm. Identify something he would like to do before sleeping and use a key object/phrase attached to that activity to remind him when he wakes up.
Laura Liberty is an FASD Educator with the Union of Ontario Indians.