Many children can suffer from difficulties in sleeping, however, for a small number of them this could be linked to depression and anxiety. An Italian study of 322 children between the ages of 7 and 11 compared those with depression, those with depression and anxiety, and a control group of unaffected children. 82% of the depressed children reported sleep problems, compared to only 5% of the controls. 42% of those with depression and anxiety and 29% of those with depression had problems getting to sleep. Depressed and depressed-and-anxious children had a significant tendency to a later bedtime and more fragmented sleep. 20% of the depressed-and-anxious children and 17% of the depressed children shared their parents' bed compared to only 5% of the control group.
You can read more about this research at
http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/06/09/child-sleep-problems-may-be-linked-to-depression-or-anxiety/2428.html
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2 comments:
I thought my son had a sleeping problem when he was young, I tried asking him what the problem was but he said nothing. A few doctors trips later I found out that he was wetting the mattress, I suppose I would have problems sleeping in a wet bed!
Thanks for your comment David. I hope your son is sleeping better now. Or has he got kids of his own by this time?!
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