Sleep disorders in infancy, childhood, and adolescence.

Sleep disorders cause substantial problems during infancy, toddlerhood, preschool ages, school ages, and adolescence. They represent the most common behavioral problems facing most parents, as well as some of the most unusual and fascinating disorders known to medicine. Sleep disorders can result from pulmonary problems, neurologic problems, family problems, or psychologic or psychiatric problems. The majority of these disorders can be diagnosed by a comprehensive sleep and medical assessment, but special studies such as polysomnography, multiple sleep latency testing, or video electroencephalographic monitoring are necessary for certain diagnoses. Pediatric sleep disorders represent a true interdisciplinary and developmental field, richly connected with many aspects of health care and medical science. Physicians and other pediatric care providers must become increasingly knowledgeable about sleep disorders to offer the best care to their patients.