Overview of Childhood Parasomnias

Bizarre behaviours and movements during sleep are common in children and early adolescence and are frequently reported by anxious parents. However, children are often unaware of these undesirable phenomena. These unusual behaviours and movements are often a result of abnormal arousals and occur in different sleep stages. Collectively they are termed parasomnias. Besides insomnia and frequent nocturnal awakenings, parasomnias are the commonest sleep disorders in children. They frequently affect healthy children and fortunately most of these disorders will spontaneously disappear in adolescence. Reassurances and parent education on how to take care of the affected children are all that are required in most cases and aggressive treatment is not recommended especially if the symptoms are mild. If other underlying disorders are suspected that cause or trigger parasomnias, further investigations and specific treatments should be considered. Parasomnias