Zaubermittelchen respiratory arrest by sleeping pills for children

No sleep aids for toddlers
A new trend seems to be spreading: so-called "magic drops" for better falling asleep for children. Doctors strongly warn against giving children sleep medication in minimal doses. The medicines can have fatal consequences for the offspring. Very feared is the sudden respiratory arrest.

Even small doses can lead to respiratory arrest
Physicians and authorities warn against sleeping pills for toddlers. This dangerous trend brings with it enormous health risks. Hermann Josef Kahl, spokesman for the Professional Association of Paediatricians (BVKJ), said in a statement from the news agency dpa: "It can - even in low doses - come to respiratory arrest." In addition, the funds that affect the brain could be dependent do.

Children are very sensitive to sleeping pills. One consequence may be a fatal respiratory arrest. (Image: athomass / fotolia.com)

Dangerous trend must be stopped
According to estimates of the Bavarian Ministry of Health, more and more parents are now giving their offspring sleeping pills. However, there are no valid numbers. "This dangerous trend, which pediatricians observed, must be stopped," said Bavaria's Health Minister Melanie Huml (CSU), according to dpa.

How much sleep children need
Especially couples who have become parents for the first time often find it difficult to estimate how much sleep the children actually need. Experts point out that the need for sleep is age-dependent and can be very different individually.

According to experts, between four months and one year babies need about twelve to 16 hours of sleep over 24 hours, one to two year olds need about eleven to 14 hours, and three to five year ten to 13 hours - including morning and afternoon sleep.

With older ones, the duration is reduced slightly. For example, schoolchildren between the ages of six and twelve should sleep about nine to twelve hours at night, and adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 should sleep eight to ten hours a night.

When children do not want to sleep
But what to do if little children do not want to sleep? Often it is enough here to create a pleasant and quiet routine for the bedtime and a sleep-in ritual.

In addition, the little ones should be active during the day to be busy. Some experts believe that nocturnal sleep disturbances can be promoted by nap and therefore not all children need one.

The German Society for Paediatrics and Youth e.V. (DGKJ) also explains on its website: "Bedtime should be fun and not punish." And: "Sport or exciting activities such as television, computer games, exciting reading and the like. at bedtime hinder a restful sleep. "(ad)