Each year millions of children are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. But health experts say the symptoms of ADHD can be confused with those related to a sleeping disorder.
Pediatric sleep medicine physician Dr. Jose Colon says sleeping disorders and behavioral problems can have very similar side effects, especially for children. “It’s hard to tell them apart unless you treat the sleep. They very much intertwine because disrupted sleep can give you ADHD symptoms.”
According to Jim Hill, director of sleep disorders center with Lee Memorial Health System, the side effects of a sleeping disorder for a child are the opposite from what an adult would experience. “Normally if you’re sleeping poorly and you’re suffering from a sleep fatigue you get very lethargic, but with kids, if they’re dealing with fatigue they get hyperactive.”
The symptoms of ADHD and the symptoms of a sleeping disorder are similar. Both can cause a child to become fidgety, hyperactive, have difficulty paying attention, and have behavioral problems.
“If we do a test and we find a sleep disorder --once you treat it if the symptoms go away then it could be ADHD secondary to poor sleep. If the symptoms improve but there still are ADHD symptoms then they may have a touch of both” said Dr. Colon.
The child’s treatment will depend on the results of a sleep study.
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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.
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