Lack of sleep akin to behaviour disorder
What's the difference between a child who's overtired and one with a behaviour disorder? Not a lot, says sleep specialist Dr Chris Seton, recalling a US experiment in which 50 children with ADHD were put together in a hall with 50 sleep deprived children – and sleep physicians and ADHD experts were asked to tell them apart.
Experts say exposure to artificial light from tablets is causing sleep disorders
The exploding popularity of hand-held digital devices could lead to a big jump in sleep disorders. Clinical Psychologist Dr Amanda Gamble, from Sydney's Woolcock Insomnia Clinic says she is seeing an increasing number of patients who are presenting with screen-related sleep problems causing a lack of sleep. This poor sleep is affecting concentration, memory and leading to problems at school.
Ensure children sleep: ban mobiles, say teachers
Teachers are warning parents to ensure their children get enough sleep to do well at school, as experts fear late-night use of mobiles and computers are interfering with results. Paediatric Sleep Specialist Dr Chris Seton at Westmead Children's Hospital advised you can deprive a young person of 20 minutes sleep and detect an IQ difference.
Dr Amanda Gamble speaks about using electronic devices before bed
In an interview on ABC News, Clinical Psychologist Dr Amanda Gamble explains the negative impact on teenagers of using electronic devices before bedtime and how excessive use can lead to a rise in sleep disorders and greater risk long term of developing anxiety and depression.
Caffeine concern over teens and energy drinks
One in three teenagers may be consuming the equivalent of 10 instant coffees a day in energy drinks that can cause insomnia, anxiety and heart problems, a leading sleep expert says. Chris Seton, a Paediatric Sleep Specialist from the Westmead Children's Hospital, found 35 per cent of teenagers consume at least two energy drinks a day.
Tired Tomic shows his age
A Paediatric Sleep Specialist has backed Bernard Tomic's claims he was unfairly disadvantaged in his first round Australian Open loss. Dr Chris Seton, a paediatrician in the sleep investigation unit at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, says as a 17-year-old, Tomic is far more affected by sleep deprivation than an adult player.
Kids need 10 hours sleep to avoid weight gain
Kids aged between 10 and 12 who sleep for less than 7 hours during school nights have 1.99cm wider waistlines and consistently higher body mass indexes than those who sleep more than 10 hours, research shows. Clinical Psychologist Dr Amanda Gamble treats underage sleep disorders and said a growing number of cases are caused by technological overload and schoolwork stress.
Discussing adolescent sleep with George Negus
George Negus discusses the harmful effects of sleep deprivation with Dr Chris Seton, Paediatric Sleep Specialist.
When your child has a sleep disorder
Dr Chris Seton, Sleep Paediatrician at Westmead Children’s Hospital, says that there are over eighty sleep disorders that occur in young children, and night terrors is the most common; as many as 1 in 8 parents say their child has experienced an episode.
Energy drinks 'as bad as drugs' with experts calling for a ban in schools
Australian expert Dr Chris Seton says energy drinks such as Red Bull, V and Monster, are helping ruin the sleep and health of Aussie teenagers and should be restricted. According to UK experts tasked with overhauling child nutrition, energy drinks are "another form of drugs" because of their high sugar and caffeine content.
Fear of missing out (FOMO) causing major sleep issue for teens
A fear of missing out (FOMO) is giving teenagers sleepless nights as they stay up late texting, chatting and gaming.
It's so bad that seven out of 10 Australian teens are sleep deprived, says Dr Chris Seton, a pediatric and adolescent sleep physician.
How sleep deprived are your kids and is overtiredness leading them to take dangerous risks?
Seven out of ten teens are affected by sleep issues with electronic devices being the primary cause for lack of shut eye, states Dr Chris Seton. Australian research has proved this extreme sleep deprivation can lead to severe behavioural issues, with many teenagers incorrectly being given a psychological diagnosis for their poor behaviour (i.e. ADHD), when in fact their main problem is lack of quality sleep.
Wake-up call over sleepless teen epidemic
Teenagers with chronic sleep deprivation are being forced to wait up to a year for treatment at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, putting them at risk of developing serious mood disorders and learning difficulties. Paediatric sleep physician at The Children's Hospital, Dr Chris Seton, said the waiting list at the hospital's sleep clinic had surged to almost 1000, with the number of teenage patients doubling in the past five years.
The great homework debate - waste of time or lasting value?
Children’s Hospital at Westmead sleep paediatrician Dr Chris Seton says homework overload is making children anxious and ruining their sleep. “Homework overload delays sleep. Late at night they don’t learn, then they go to bed late and they can’t sleep because they’re stressed,” he states. “The second problem is what they've learnt earlier in class, doesn't consolidate because of a lack of sleep. So it’s a compounding problem.”
Finnish teenagers with sleeping disorders double in last 20 years
In Finland sleeping disorders have doubled among school-age children over the past two decades. Researchers believe energy drinks and personal electronic devices could be behind the trend.