excessive daytime sleepiness in childhood and adolescence

Last reviewed 01/2018

Disorders leading to daytime sleepiness in childhood and adolescence

  • if a child/adolescent has insufficient night sleep and enhanced night-time arousal
    • secondary to inadequate sleep hygiene:
      • physical exercise late at night
      • caffeine misuse
      • misuse of alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit substances
  • if a child/adolescent has a primary central nervous system disorder
    • delayed sleep phase syndrome
    • idiopathic hypersomnia
    • periodic hypersomnia
    • narcolepsy—cataplexy, idiopathic
    • narcolepsy secondary to neoplasms, trauma, inflammatory processes involving the dorsolateral hypothalamus
    • Restless legs syndrome
  • if a child/adolescent has sleep related breathing disturbance
    • obstructive hypoventilation, primary or secondary to Down's syndrome, obesity, hypothyroidism, or myopathies like myotonic dystrophy
  • secondary to drugs
    • prescription: benzodiazepines, barbiturates, antiepileptic drugs
    • non-prescription: diphenhydramine, chlorpheneramine, illicit substances
  • secondary to a psychiatric disorder
    • depression

Reference:

  1. Kotagal S, Pianosi P. Sleep disorders in children and adolescents. BMJ 2006;332:828-32