Childhood Eating Disorders and Sleep Patterns

Pediatric Health Concerns: Eating Habits and Sleep

Disorders of Eating Habits

The first step in addressing alterations to eating habits is to seek out possible organic and psychological causes. The most common disorders include:

• Regurgitation
• Vomiting
• Intolerance and Allergies
• Childhood Obesity
• Childhood Anorexia
• Pica
• Rumination

Regurgitation

This is characteristic of infants and involves expelling a small amount of milk after feeding. It usually disappears with the maturation of the baby's digestive system.

Vomiting

This is the more or less abrupt expulsion of a quantity of food. If your baby is gaining weight, there is no need to worry. To avoid this, ensure the infant does not swallow air when breast or bottle-feeding, and burp them when finished. Continuous vomiting should be a cause for concern.

Intolerances and Food Allergies; Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity involves an increase in body fat, which may be accompanied by overweight. This results from consuming a higher quantity of energy, often due to poor eating habits.

Childhood Anorexia

This is a loss of appetite caused by several factors: infectious causes, gastrointestinal intolerance (like gluten), dietary errors, or psychological causes (often appearing around 6 months).

Rumination

This involves the repeated regurgitation of food already eaten, done voluntarily and pleasantly. The food is partially digested, brought back into the mouth, and chewed again without signs of nausea or distress. There are two types: one occurring in individuals with intellectual disabilities, and another in infants and very young children (0–17 months).

Pica

This is the persistent eating of non-nutritive substances (like paint, clothing, sand, insects...). It can manifest in people with intellectual disabilities or physical/emotional deficiencies.

Rest and Sleep in Childhood

Sleep is the primary method for recharging energy. It is a physiological process involving a temporary break from the outside world. Neonates spend the largest part of their time sleeping.

Sleep Phases

The Onset of Sleep (Ladormiment)

This is the time from intending to sleep until the person is actually asleep.

The Sleep Cycle (The Sleep)

Sleep involves two main stages: Non-REM (NREM) and REM sleep; this combination forms the sleep cycle.

Stadium 1: NREM Sleep

This is calm, slow-wave sleep, becoming progressively deeper. It can last between 90 and 100 minutes in adults and 50 minutes in children (representing 75–80% of the sleep cycle). It has four phases:

1. Numbness (Drowsiness)
2. Light Sleep
3. Deep Sleep
4. Deep Sleep and Total Unconsciousness (difficult to wake)

Stadium 2: REM Sleep

This is the period during which we dream. It accounts for 20–25% of sleep in adults, but children can reach up to 50%. A complete sleep cycle lasts about two hours. Between 4 and 5 cycles occur during the night, with REM periods becoming longer as the night progresses.

Awakening (The Despertament)

Awakening is triggered by external stimuli: light and dark, noise and silence, mealtimes, and established sleep habits.

Sleep Disorders (Dissòmies)

These are alterations that affect the quality, quantity, or timing of sleep.

Parasomnias

These include sleepwalking, nightmares, night terrors, Bruxism, Somniloquy, and Jactatio capitis.

Bruxism

This involves the grinding or clenching of teeth.

Somniloquy

This is talking, shouting, laughing, or crying during any stage of dreams.

Jactatio Capitis

This is a motor habit involving rhythmically moving the head on the pillow; some children may also swing their body.