The Late Night Malaise: Sleep Disorders in Children

Children can face tremendous problems when it comes to a peaceful night’s sleep. Most children suffer from unstable sleep patterns due to various sleep disorders that usually go unnoticed by the parents. In this post, we will look at the different sleep disorders in children and how to deal with them.
Before we go any further, let’s first look at the appropriate sleep time for children of different age groups. Here is a list that illustrates the amount of sleep that your child should be getting every day.

• For 0 - 2 months, sleep hours should be around 10.5 - 18
• For 2 - 12 months, sleep hours should be around 13 - 14
• For 1 - 3 years, sleep hours should be around 14 - 15
• For 3 - 5 years, sleep hours should be around 12 - 14
• For 5 - 12 years, sleep hours should be around 10 - 11

 

Most Common Sleep Disorders in Children

Do you ever get bothered by your child’s midnight call? Does he insist on sleeping with you every day because a monster is hiding under his bed or in the closet. Children can face a lot of sleep problems, especially in the early days of life. Below, we will discuss one of the most common sleep disorders that the children usually face.

Nightmares

Bad dreams frequently happen on occasion; they usually occur change in a tyke's schedule. They for the most part happen later in the night and are recalled the following day. Fortunately, bad dreams have a tendency to go away characteristically. Motivate your kid to discuss the bad dream.
To make sure that your kids fall asleep early, allow your kids to have ample physical activity through an outdoor playground equipment or school playground equipment so they feel tired enough to go to bed early. In addition, maintain a strategic distance from TV promptly before sleep time can aid in assuaging bad dreams.

 

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is frequently initially recognized in pubescence, yet may happen as ahead of schedule as ten years old. Youngsters with narcolepsy experience unnecessary daytime sluggishness even after a proper night’s rest. Youngsters with narcolepsy ought to be diagnosed by a child specialist, so do not ignore your child’s daytime sleepiness.

 

Sleep Walking

Sleep Walking mostly happens in children in the age bracket 4-8 years. These slumber interruptions happen during the night and disrupt the normal sleep pattern. During sleep walking, kids are both awake and asleep at the same time, but they do not have any recollection of what they did and where they went.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is a genuine issue in which there is a trouble in breathing during a night’s slumber. Tyke’s with sleep apnea may wheeze noisily, encounter anxiousness and be lethargic during the day hours. Other issues faced by children with sleep apnea can include augmented tonsils or adenoids, hypersensitivities, weight issues and other therapeutic issues. There are numerous approaches to treat apnea, so it is vital to see your specialist for an analysis and treatment. Research suggests that children who spend ample time in a playground or around commercial playground equipment usually face less sleep apnea problems.

Studies demonstrate that 37% of kids, kindergarten through fourth grade, experience the effects of sleep disorders. In case your youngster encounters any of the above mentioned sleep issues or is exceptionally languid during the day, immediately get the necessary help.

The Cancer of Technology: Who Suffers the Most?

Today, children are suffering from ailments that were once considered grown-up health issues; obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, blood pressure and other various physiological issues that the vulnerable young bodies never experienced before. Technological miracles have changed the spectrum of everything; we have surrendered ourselves to the digital devices that have completely enveloped our lives. But who suffers the most?

The Impact of Growing Modern Technology

Since the early 2000’s, the world has experienced the least expected technological heave that has clocked every corner of the world. It is hard to find a place where technology has not left a discernible impact. Gone are the days when children could enjoy simple outdoor playground equipment and engage with simple chores in the house to have the ultimate recreation. Now the responsibility of entertaining the younger minds has been transferred to the bleeding edge technology.

The technology has its hand in causing various ailments that were once considered for the adults only. According to an article published in Time magazine in February 2015, children are becoming aged before their age. Most tykes in America suffer from various ailments that were once known to occur in adults. Below are the statistics provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

• 18.4% (2009-2010) percent of teenagers age 12-19 years who are obese
• 18.0% (2009-2010) percent of children age 6-11 years who are obese
• 12.1% (2009-2010) percent of children age 2-5 years who are obese
• More than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese.
• More than 1 in 3 adults are considered to be obese.
• More than 1 in twenty adults have extreme corpulence.
• About one-third of children (between ages 6-19) in the United States 19 are considered to be overweight.
• More than 6 children of ages 6 to 18 are obese.

The above statistics show the prevalence of corpulence in children and teenagers. Studies suggest that children grow older before their age by developing ailments that become the main hindrance in academic and social life. The lack of physical activity and high level of sedentary activities have turned teenagers and tykes into indolent individuals who are more prone to serious ailments such as type diabetes and carpal tunnel syndrome along with myriad other diseases.

Who Suffers the Most?

By looking at the above statistics, it can easily be said that children are the primary victim of technology. It is true that handheld devices allow kids to get acquainted with technology and understand the complexities associated with it which help them later in life. However, technological advancements bring physiological damages that our children may not be able to recover from. Therefore, in the long run, technology will prove to be an informational gadget that edifies children at a price.

So, do we just sit there while our children lost themselves in the upheaval of gaming devices and screen based activity? In this era of digital devices and escalating screen times, commercial playground equipment and modern play structures are our only hope to bring our children back to the healthy lifestyle. So, take steps to improve your child’s health and introduce him to an active lifestyle.

Reference
http://time.com/8693/young-kids-old-bodies

Toddle talk: How to Understand your Toddler Better

Wait, what was that? Did he just say ‘mommy’? Parents are enthralled by each everything that their kids do, but the gold star goes to the their ability to articulate. Every parent yearns to hear the words spill out of their toddler’s mouth, especially the very first words. However, it is not always easy to comprehend the ‘aww’ and the ‘oee’ sounds that the toddlers make. This post will help you understand how you can comprehend your toddler’s speech and communicate better with him on a day-to-day basis.

Start with the Body Language

Children have a very specific body language when it comes to expressing themselves to their parents. Have you ever wondered how a mother quickly understands his infant’s needs, even when he’s just an infant? Body language can tell you a lot, especially in toddlers. So, if you are really interested to understand what your toddler’s talking about, start with the body language.

Understand the circumstance

Mostly when toddlers try to talk to you, they are trying to refer to a current circumstance or a situation. Understand the circumstance to understand your toddler. Be more involved with his daily activities to know how he communicates about everyday stuff. For example, when a toddler falls from an outdoor playground equipment he immediately reacts by crying or making a sour face. If you look at the circumstance, you will immediately understand what your child is trying to tell you.

Have an age-appropriate conversation

Would you ever feel comfortable talking to someone 15 years younger or older than you? You might engage in an uplifting talk, but you would never want to discuss the personal things. Your toddler feels the same way. He does not expect you to understand him; you have to make him feel comfortable about sharing things with you. On a daily basis, communicate with your child and even though you don’t understand the words, pretend to listen and respond. The daily conversations will let your child know that you are interested in what he has to say, and that he matters.

What if my child is not that expressive?

It is very common for children to be less responsive to parents, which can sometimes be worrisome. The non-responsive attitude in toddlers can be sometimes difficult to handle. Pediatric psychologists suggest that if your child is difficult to talk to, then there is a chance that he’s having communication issues. Many toddlers have a difficult time making affiliations with the other toddlers. Watch your kid as he plays around a commercial playground equipment along with other children and look out for any conflicting situation. Another approach that you can try is to have a talk with your child about his day-to-day activities and find out if there’s anything that is bothering him. If you understand his body language and the circumstance (as mentioned above), there is a pretty good chance that you will be able to resolve the issue.

For the strong foundation of parent-child relationship, it is important that you develop an understanding with your toddler. So, have the talk now to avoid future problems.

Creating Safe Play Areas: Guide to Playground Hazards

Playgrounds, the so called fun lands, can sometimes be the main culprits for agonizing wounds. Statistics show that most injuries occur on or around a playground equipment simply because of lack of playground equipment maintenance and tyke supervision. To Ensure our children’s safety on the playgrounds it is crucial that we understand the hazards and avoid them.

Tripping Hazards on the Playgrounds

Tripping is the most common hazard and the cause of substantial injury on the playgrounds. Play regions need to be free of tripping points. The major reason that cause tripping include the gadgets for play area gear with detached fill surfacing materials. All the gadgets on the play area, for example, solid footings or flat bars at the base of adaptable climbers, should have a support of the defensive surfacing material.

The protective surfacing will keep youngsters from getting serious injuries in case they fall on an uncovered footing. Another crucial point is to differentiate the shading of the surfacing with the hardware shading to add better perceivability. Children should be able to comprehend the equipment and dividers in order to avoid impact. A well skilled supervisor should explain the dangers of the equipment to the children before they are allowed to play. Let’s look at some of the most common hazards on the playgrounds and how to avoid them.

Hazards of Sharp Points

Sharp corners and edges on any piece of equipment may cut a child's skin. Sharp edges can result in genuine cuts if precautionary measures are not taken. To dodge the danger of harm from sharp edges and corners:

• Make sure that exposed open finishes on all tubing not lying on the ground are secured by tops or fittings that can't be evacuated without the utilization of instruments.
• Make sure that wood parts are smooth and free from fragments. All corners of metal and wood should be properly adjusted.
• There ought to be no sharp edges on slides. Give careful consideration to metal edges of the slides.
• In the event that steel-belted radials are utilized as play area gear, make sure that they are inspected consistently to guarantee that there are no uncovered steel wires.

Hazard of Impalement and Entanglement

Outdoor playground equipment in the play areas should not have the capacity to ensnare kids’ apparel. Ensnaring can sometimes result in serious injury. To avoid this danger:
Make sure that the equipment is properly maintained with no loose nuts and bolts.
Before letting your kids in the playground, survey the place for improper wiring.
Talk to the park supervisor and make sure that there are no hidden hazards that might become the cause of entanglement.
Warn your kids about the hazards of sharp wires and unsafe gear, and make sure that they understand how to stay protected.

Hazard of Ropes and Strings

Apparel can sometimes lead to serious injuries. Drawstrings on the sweatshirts, coats and other similar apparel can easily get entrapped in commercial playground equipment. The entrapment can sometimes result in strangulation. To evade this danger, follow the following steps:

• Make sure that your child does not wear any adornments, coats or sweatshirts with drawstrings attached by strings.
• Remove all the ropes, chains, or other similar play area hardware that can become a cause of entanglement.

Walking out of the Shadows: How to Help Your Child Enjoy the Outdoors?

Did you just watch your kid spend an entire afternoon glued to the couch watching a meaningless TV show? Or perhaps the Xbox gracefully took over your child’s precious time (and mind) that should be spent playing outdoors, in the nature. Where technological advancements have brought enhanced ways to teach children, they have also brought myriad physiological and psychological ailments that can distort our children’s future. But how to actually get kids off the couch and outside in the nature. This article will help you with this agonizing challenge.

Build a Cozy Outdoor Tent

Making your own little tent out in the backyard on a sunny day is the ideal approach to engage exhausted kids. There's something otherworldly about making your own particular lodge tent out of sheets and string that beats the manufactured tents against all odds.

Things you will need:

• A long piece of rope (around 4-5m will do)
• Twofold bunk sheets or bigger
• A couple of blocks or rocks
• Ample garments and pegs for the tent arrangement
• A cover or picnic blanket for inside the tent

What to do:

There is no confinement to what you can really do in the tent. Let your youngster have one of those doll tea parties, or simply lie in there for an unwinding nighttime; utilize your creative energy and concoct a fun-arrangement.

Play Duck, Duck Goose

Duck, duck, goose is an enthralling game that can empower and captivate children of all ages. Yes, it might be even more than the modern commercial playground equipment!
What to do:

• In this game, children take a seat in a way that they face one another.
• One child who is the "it," strolls around the circle. As he strolls around, he taps other children's heads and say whether they are a "duck" or a "goose".
• When somebody is the goose they get up and attempt to pursue "it" around the circle. The objective is to tap that child before he is capable to take a seat on the goose's spot.
• In the event that the goose is not ready to do this, he gets to be the "it" and the play proceeds. In case the other child does taps the "it"child, the child labeled needs to sit on the inside of the circle.
• At this point the goose gets to be “it” for the following round. The individual in the center can't leave until someone else is labeled and they are supplanted.

Enagae them in a Treasure Hunt

Children love playing around in the sand, so why not make it more motivating by adding treasure into the sands and have the kids look for it. You can choose any location to hide the treasure; near outdoor playground equipment or in the sand-pit can be great hiding spots.

Things you will need:

• Spades;
• Spoons;
• Buckets;
• Treasure to hide.

What you can do:

• Prior to the game, conceal various little toys in a sand-pit.
• Give every child a spade or spoon and give them a chance to begin burrowing to discover the coveted treasure.
• Make sure that you only put things that are in fixed bundling or in a re-sealable plastic sack before you conceal.