Attention Problems Could Be Sleep Related

I saw this article yesterday and thought it was very interesting. The basic idea is that issues like sleep apnea, sleep deprivation, snoring, and mouth breathing could be causing children to be mistakenly diagnosed with ADHD.


I have learned from ADHD conferences in the past that difficulty sleeping soundly for the full night can be a part of ADHD, so that connection is already one piece of the puzzle. But, this article brings up the additional possibility that some children who look like they have ADHD (lack of focus, emotional instability, trouble getting along with peers, difficulty sitting still, being "wired" or obstinate, etc.) may really and truly just have a sleep issue, not ADHD at all.


Of course, I am not a medical doctor or expert in sleep or ADHD so I can't add much more to the discussion. But, from what I see, I certainly think sleep is a worthwhile concern to investigate for most all children. And, I am always interested in factors that may be part of what looks to me like an increase in behaviors resembling ADHD here at school.


If you are interested in reading more about sleep, I really enjoyed the book Sleepless in America by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. One surprising idea in there is that kids ages 5-12 on average need 10-11 hours of sleep in every 24 hour period. Kids who resist bed and act the most wired may actually be the most overtired, too! How confusing! It is a great family-friendly book and I think you'll like it if you are looking for help with family sleep.


If you want to read the whole article about ADHD and sleep issues, it is at this website: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/attention-problems-may-be-sleep-related/


If you are interested in health news, you may want to follow the link above and consider subscribing to that NY Times Well blog where I found this article. It usually posts a few headlines a day about various medical, health, fitness, and wellness-related topics.


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