Every parent knows that a poor night’s sleep results in a cranky child the next day. Not only does poor sleep affect behavior, but also, overtime, lack of sleep can affect a child’s growth and development, as well as performance in school.

If you child has a pattern of not sleeping well, he could have a sleeping disorder, such as insomnia, nightmares, sleep talking, sleepwalking, sleep terrors and restless leg syndrome. Snoring, long pauses in breathing, tossing and turning could indicate that your child has sleep apnea, a potential harmful condition in which breathing is interrupted repeatedly during sleep.

Untreated pediatric sleep disorders can affect your child’s behavior and health. If your child has trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor, who might suggest a sleep study to help determine the cause and seriousness of the problem. St. Luke’s offers a number of sleep study locations. Treatment is available so your child can sleep tight.