If you have ever tossed and turned all night and then attended an early morning meeting, you probably felt tired and cranky and had a slowed response time. Without a good night's sleep, that tired and cranky feeling would only get worse and might cause more problems during your day. Think about your child's sleeping habits-if your child is not getting a good night's sleep, he may be having similar problems, which may even result in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

A study now shows a possible link between sleep disordered breathing (SDB)-most often a blockage of the upper airway that disrupts breathing while sleeping-and ADHD. Signs of SDB include:

• Snoring.
• Daytime sleepiness or a hard time waking up in the morning.
• Restless sleep.
• Sweating during sleep.
• Mouth breathing during sleep.
• Sleepwalking.

Dr. Ronald Chervin, a University of Michigan neurologist and sleep researcher, conducted a study of children ages 2 to 13 to examine the link between snoring and hyperactive behavior. The study shows that there is a link between "habitual snoring and hyperactive behavior."1 Children who snore on a regular basis display more problem behaviors. The results of the study appeared in the March 2002 issue of Pediatrics (Vol. 109, No 3, pp. 449-456).

Although not all children who have sleep problems have ADHD, lack of sleep can cause mood swings, inattention, delayed response time, a decrease in motivation, and hyperactivity-all symptoms that often are linked to ADHD.

What To Know¹

• Children who snore, are sleepy during the day, or have other symptoms of SDB are more likely to be rated by their parents as being inattentive and hyperactive.
• Children who snore on a regular basis are more likely to be hyperactive than children who do not snore on a regular basis.
• In boys ages 8 and younger, there was a stronger link between snoring and hyperactivity.

What To Do

• Pay attention to your child's sleep patterns.
• Talk to your doctor if your child has trouble sleeping, snores often, or shows any other symptoms of sleep problems.

¹Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update 4(4):1, 6-7, 2002.

• The National Sleep Foundation
• Children's Mental Health Facts: Children and Adolescents With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• National Institutes of Mental Health: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Attention Deficit Disorder Association