A pediatrician I recently spoke to has been finding that many of her patients referred for AD(H)D evaluations are actually sleep deprived.

Sleep deprivation can result in higher irritability, impulsive behavior, and more difficulty using reasoning skills and short term memory. The average recommended amount of sleep for a school age child is 9-11 hours a night.

The pediatrician also said that sleep deprivation appears to be connected to low iron levels, so she is recommending an iron check as part of a work up for figuring out sleep problems and/or attention difficulties.

Here are some links to check out about sleep deprivation:

Sleep Problems: Your Child

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep Affects Kids in School