While one can suspect that sleepy children and adolescents might be suffering with an undiagnosed sleep disorder, it should not be the only consideration. Children who are sleepy at school may be the victims of night-time sexual or physical abuse or family dysfunction.
David Meece was sleepy in school all the time because his father’s abuse resulted in disrupted nights or saw the family sleeping in the car. (see www.associatedsleepservices.com/events) But his is not the only such story. In his book, hockey player, Theoren Fleury describes the abuse he suffered at the hands of his hockey coach and the impact it had on his sleep.
“(he) insisted that I sleep over at his house at least twice a week ….. I would get absolutely no sleep. None. I was on guard. …… I would drag myself to school the next day and fall asleep in class.” “I let him do what he needed to do to get it over with so I could get some sleep. I needed to function the next day.”
Shame and fear often prevent these children from telling anyone anything about what is happening to them. It is critical that adults who interact with these sleepy children consider not just sleep disorders, but other situations which may be efffecting the child’s sleep.
If these children are not saved from the abuse or dysfunction, many of them will find that in adulthood they experience an on-going insomnia. They find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Even though they may have been removed from the abuse for many years, the years of being ‘on-guard’ during the night has effectively programmed to continue being ‘on guard.’ The insomnia can also be associated with unresolved emotions associated with the abuse.
Watch for vulnerable children. They really need an adult who crusades on their behalf. Help them to have a ’safe place to sleep.’