Children Narcolepsy occurs more frequently than what people think. Narcolepsy is a relatively uncommon disorder in children. This disorder is still left undiagnosed even if this disorder can be very disabling and have a large impact on a child’s life.
Symptoms of Children Narcolepsy
Signs and symptoms of Children Narcolepsy help us asses if our children suffer this type of disorder. These are identified below.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness: This is usually the first sign of narcolepsy. Individuals say they feel tired all the time. They can fall asleep at unusual times, such as while driving, in the middle of a conversation, or while eating.
- Cataplexy: Cataplexy is a sudden, brief loss of muscle control triggered by stress or a strong emotion, such as laughter, anger, anxiety, or surprise. Cataplexy may be mild--like a brief feeling of weakness in the knees--to a complete collapse. Breathing is not affected but a sense of choking may be reported. Injury from falls is rare because the paralysis comes on over a few seconds. Cataplexy is sometimes the first symptom of narcolepsy but more often develops after years of having narcolepsy.
- Sleep paralysis: Sleep paralysis is a brief loss of muscle control either when falling asleep or waking up. It is a feeling of being unable to move or speak, even though a person is totally aware of his or her surroundings. Being touched by another person usually causes the paralysis to disappear.
- Hypnagogic hallucinations: These are vivid, dream-like/nightmare events that are difficult to distinguish from reality. They occur just prior to falling asleep or just after awakening. The "dreams" often involve images or sounds of strange animals or prowlers. The content is generally scary.
Common Treatments
Treatments that can be taken for Children Narcolepsy are discussed below.
- Medication
Medications prescribed by trained professionals.
- Behavioral treatment
- The effective treatment of narcolepsy requires not only medication, but also adjustments in life-style. The following suggestions can bring substantial improvement.
- Follow a strict sleep-wake schedule. Your child should go to bed and get up at the same time each day.
- Take short naps once or twice each day, as needed, if recommended.
- Increase physical activity; avoid boring or repetitive tasks.
- Avoid activities that can be dangerous, such as driving, swimming, or cooking, except during times when you know your child will be alert.
- Follow doctor's instructions regarding medications very carefully. Inform doctors of changes and problems.
- Management of the environment
Educating the people that surround your child on how to properly treat your child can be done in a way that helps your child get over this disorder.
Seeking the help of professionals to assist you on Children Narcolepsy is the best option that parents can do as a first step in helping their child. Never do anything that may just make your child’s case worst.