ABSTRACT
The cardinal manifestations of sleep disorders in the pediatric age group differ from adults and are easily overlooked. Anticipatory guidance during wellchild visits requires an understanding of age-appropriate sleep characteristics. Sleep problems in childhood are a common source of distress to caregivers and can be especially challenging for clinicians. For effective assessment, the physician must use an organized approach to assess sleep-related complaints. This chapter presents an overview of normal sleep patterns in children, an outline of sleep disorders linked to the sleep-wake cycle, and a clinical approach to the evaluation and intervention of pediatric sleep disorders.
