Psychiatric Illness and Sleep in Children and Adolescents

Children with mental illness have higher rates of sleep problems. It has been suggested that mental illnesses are the chronic diseases of the young. The 12-month prevalence of mental disorders in the US population is estimated at 26% with half of all cases reporting onset prior to age 14. The majority of mental illnesses in children and adolescents go unrecognized for years, and when treatment is initiated, it is often inadequate. Anxiety disorders, as a class, are the most common psychiatric disorders in adults and children with a lifetime prevalence estimate of 28.8%. Undoubtedly, the clinician evaluating children with sleep complaints will see children with these common disorders. Children with separation anxiety disorder experience excessive anxiety when separated from home or from those to whom they feel attached, typically parents. The term autism spectrum disorder refers to a group of developmental disorders of brain function with a broad range of behavioral consequences and severity.