Teens with signs of ADD may just be sleepy

Not all sleepy teenagers are sluggish and hard to get out the door in the morning. Some may be hyperactive and exhibit other signs of attention deficit disorder, such as difficulty focusing and being hard to control, says Dr. David W. Kaplan, chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on adolescence.

Sleep deprivation in teenagers is considered such a serious problem that a session was devoted to it during a recent academy meeting. Kaplan, who had reviewed the scientific literature on the subject, reported that children over 12 need at least 8.5 hours of sleep a night. “We have no idea whether some kids are being misdiagnosed as having ADD when they just have serious sleep deprivation,” he said in an interview.

Like adults, teenagers’ schedules and activities -- not to mention cell phones and computers and TVs in the bedroom -- are encroaching on their sleep time, says Kaplan.

As part of its “Sleep Well, Do Well: Star Sleeper Campaign,” the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute offers parents tips on how to help children get a good night’s sleep: Establish a regular bedtime, eliminate distractions from the bedroom, and avoid sodas and other beverages with caffeine less than six hours before bedtime.

-- Dianne Partie Lange