We sit, groan... How to help a child with digestive problems

Many young parents are terribly upset by the fact that their baby has restless sleep. In addition, mom and dad themselves cannot rest properly because of the non-sleeping child. In this article we will look at the causes of insomnia in young children.

Babies may grunt and cry if something worries them. Among the causes of restless sleep in a baby, it is worth highlighting:

  • constipation;
  • air in the stomach;
  • crusts that are stuck in the nose;
  • neurological problems.

Main symptoms of catophrenia

Before looking for the reasons why a person groans in a dream, it is necessary to understand how this manifests itself. A sleeping person begins to grumble, moo, moan, and makes roaring sounds. This is due to slower breathing. Due to exhalation for too long, vocalization of the breath occurs, which leads to similar sound phenomena. Sounds may be similar to roaring, squealing, mooing, wheezing, groaning. The frequency of their occurrence can be once a night or very often.

Catathrenia is characteristic of the rapid phase of sleep. Because of this, there are more groans in the morning, since this phase is at its maximum at this time. In this case, the person suffering from this pathology can be in any position. Typically, if you change your position after the groans start, they may subside for a while.

Sleepers do not feel in their sleep that they are making any strange sounds. The quality of their sleep, in their opinion, is not affected by this. And only from loved ones can you find out that there is a similar problem. Actually, because of the discomfort for people around, this disease needs to be treated, because a moaning person interferes with a partner’s sleep, which can lead to conflict situations.

Restless sleep of a 5 month old baby

At this age, children sleep at night for about 9-11 hours. They wake up several times to eat. Breasts can get up quite often - every three hours. Children who eat formula can sleep for about 6-8 hours. This is due to the fact that artificial baby food takes longer to digest and the baby becomes hungry later. Are you worried about your baby's restless sleep because he wakes up every hour? This situation is abnormal, because it does not allow either mother or child to fully rest.

Can’t understand why your baby sleeps restlessly and tosses and turns in his sleep? Perhaps he is disturbed by noise from the street, too bright a lantern or lighting in the room. If you find such interference, remove it.

Dry air in the room can also interfere with a good night's rest. This is especially pronounced in winter, when the central heating is on or you have turned on an additional heater.

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Causes of moaning in sleep

Typically, the reasons for the appearance of moaning during sleep have not been fully established. Doctors can only point out indirect prerequisites for this phenomenon. Due to the lack of sufficient material resources for studying this phenomenon, there is also no specific treatment.

So, why does a person moan while sleeping? The reasons may be the following:

  • frequent stress, overwork, prolonged anxiety, nervous illnesses;
  • asthenic syndrome;
  • pain during sleep;
  • frequent awakenings, poor quality of sleep;
  • anatomical problems of the upper respiratory tract, which makes it impossible to exhale without an appropriate sound effect;
  • mental disorders;
  • presence of bad habits - smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction.

A variety of causes of sore throat

Scratching in the throat, the desire to cough, dry mouth - sensations that are well known to adults and children. Sore throat is not an independent throat disease. It is a symptom of a large number of conditions and diseases. The appearance is most often associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract. Typical causes are viral, bacterial or fungal infection. The mucous membrane of the inflamed throat becomes red, swollen, and plaque spots and blisters may appear.

Conditions and diseases that cause a sore throat in a child:

  • allergy to any chemical or environmental factor;
  • ARVI, pharyngitis or other throat infection;
  • reflux of gastric juice into the upper part of the esophagus (reflux);
  • passive smoking, inhalation of smoke from a fire;
  • insufficient cleaning of the oral cavity;
  • thrush (fungus in the oropharynx);
  • inflammation of the thyroid gland.

It happens that the child constantly “huffs” his throat, as if trying to clear his throat. This condition is observed with pharyngeal neurosis. The disease occurs when the functions of the receptors in the throat are impaired. Neurosis differs from tonsillitis and ARVI in that other signs, except for tickling and the desire to cough, do not appear.

Itching in the oropharynx can be caused by particles of dust, skin, saliva and hair from animals and birds. A child has a sore throat if he is allergic to flowers, food, or medications. Irritation in the oropharynx occurs with increased acidity of gastric juice. In all of these situations, diagnosis and professional treatment of the child will be required. If unpleasant sensations arise from loud screaming or singing, they often disappear on their own.

Should I visit a doctor?

Many people believe that with catophrenia, visiting a doctor is an unnecessary procedure. But there are also more dangerous diseases with similar symptoms, which is why it is still necessary to visit a specialist. But who should you go to with a problem like this?

It is very important to try to establish the organic cause of catophrenia, which is what doctors are trying to do by prescribing various procedures. It is also important to examine the patient and find out whether he suffers from other sleep disorders - snoring and other pathologies. When conducting an examination, the doctor must understand that catophrenia is also typical for completely healthy people.

To obtain more detailed information about the patient, the doctor must ask a series of questions. He usually finds out the following:

  • Are there any other sleep problems?
  • whether other family members have similar disorders;
  • how long and how often such groans are observed, what is their character;
  • whether you have suffered stress or mental trauma recently;
  • whether moaning during sleep is associated with possible nightmares;
  • whether you took any drugs, drugs or alcohol immediately before the problem appeared.

If catophrenia or other sleep problems begin to visit you regularly, it is recommended to keep a diary in which you should record everything that happens that may relate to the disease. Thanks to this diary, it will be easier for the doctor to determine the cause of this phenomenon and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Possible treatment for catophrenia

Catathrenia does not cause any complications or pathologies in the body, which is why doctors do not bother looking for specific treatment for this phenomenon. But patients come to us in order to get rid of this problem, because they annoy those around them with their restless sleep. In view of this, it is necessary to take certain measures to combat this sleep disorder.

Today, the following methods of treating this disease are distinguished:

  1. Carrying out polysomnography for a more detailed determination of sleep disorders and subsequent contact with a somnologist.
  2. The so-called CPAP therapy brings good results.
  3. If catophrenia occurs due to the presence of chronic diseases or pathologies of the ENT organs, they try to cure the underlying disease (for example, straighten the nasal septum) in order to get rid of sleep disorders.
  4. They monitor the quality of nasal breathing and treat all diseases of the respiratory system in a timely manner.
  5. They try to move more during the day, be in the fresh air as much as possible, and eliminate stress and nervous tension from their lives.
  6. Create comfort in the bedroom and choose the most comfortable sleeping position. In particular, it is recommended that the head be at a slight elevation compared to the rest of the body.

For those who sleep in the same room as someone with catophrenia, they are advised to:

  • If a relative begins to moan, it is recommended to help him change his sleeping position, but not to wake him up.
  • You can purchase it to improve the quality of your own sleep, and not hear moans and groans.
  • You can also use a white noise generator. The principle of its operation is to create a monotonous background sound that promotes sleep.
  • As a last resort, if other methods do not work, you can sleep in another room, since quality sleep is very important for any person.

A healthy, full sleep allows you to rest well at night and feel fresh and energetic during the day. But sometimes sleep disturbances occur, during which it is impossible to relax and rest normally. Your spouse makes strange moans in your sleep, and it would be good to understand why a person moans in his sleep, what the reasons are and what to do about it.

One such disorder is catophrenia, or moaning during sleep. The person cannot control this phenomenon and begins to make moaning, roaring, grumbling or mooing sounds during sleep. The sounds may appear once or throughout the night.

Moans in sleep usually do not bother the sleeper who produces them. He sleeps and does not even suspect that this can happen to him every night. This person usually learns about such a violation only from his loved ones, who wake up from frightening or plaintive sounds. And these sounds bring more inconvenience to loved ones.

To fight any disease, you first need to identify the causes that provoke the disease.

Doctors have established the following causes of moaning in sleep:

  1. A problem with the upper respiratory tract, blockage or narrowing.
  2. A damaged structure in the brain that controls breathing.
  3. Hereditary origin. Most of those who suffer from catophrenia have family members who also suffer from sleep disorders.
  4. A jaw that is undeveloped according to medical standards.
  5. High susceptibility to nervous tension, anxiety and stress.
  6. Mental and physical exhaustion.
  7. Alcohol lovers are susceptible to this disease. The norm when you can still drink alcohol is no later than 4 hours before bedtime.
  8. Smokers also need to smoke fewer cigarettes.

Even on the back, the back of a person’s tongue sinks, which leads to blockage of a significant part of the hole through which air passes. And then the person makes unpleasant sounds, similar to groans.

Which doctors should I contact? First of all, see a somnologist. He will study the characteristics of sleep in detail, as a result of which he will determine whether night moans have connections with other disorders in this area.

An otolaryngologist examines the ENT organs in detail to find out why a person groans in his sleep. The psychotherapist will, if necessary, eliminate any mental problems.

Treatment for moaning

Before going to bed, you should take a shower or bath, rinse your nose with warm water; perform breathing exercises; drink hot tea; take a pose while relaxing with the head of the bed raised: you can buy such a bed or place bars under the legs.

During treatment, it is better for your loved ones to sleep in a separate room or buy earplugs.

If a person groans during sleep, doctors may prescribe:

  1. Diagnosis of sleep disorders using polysomnography and its treatment by a specialist, if necessary.
  2. CPAP therapy often has a positive effect in catophrenia and allows you to get rid of night moans.
  3. In case of pathology of the ENT organs, the problem can be eliminated, for example, by surgical correction of a deviated nasal septum. Therefore, surgery may be prescribed.
  4. It is recommended to avoid emotional stress as much as possible, move enough, and spend time in the fresh air.

In itself, the problem associated with the presence of catophrenia is not dangerous and does not pose a great threat to human life and health. But you always need to find out the reasons so as not to miss the onset of a more serious disease.

Sleep is necessary for every person to restore the strength spent during the day. It depends on him how active the next day will be. Therefore, if insomnia or chronic lack of sleep occurs, the quality of life decreases markedly. However, sometimes another specific disorder occurs: a person groans in his sleep.

This disorder is medically called catophrenia. It cannot be called life-threatening, but it is worth getting rid of the pathology as soon as possible.

As mentioned above, moaning during sleep is called catophrenia. Representatives of the fair half of humanity are most often susceptible to uncontrolled behavioral disorders. Less commonly, the pathology occurs in men and children.

Important: The phenomenon in question has one peculiarity: a groan occurs when oxygen is exhaled. It is this point that distinguishes catophrenia from other parosomnias in the form of snoring, apnea and stridor.

Most often, the disorder occurs when you take a deep breath, after which the breath is held, followed by exhalation, accompanied by a groan. As a rule, exhalation with sound can last up to a minute. This condition occurs in most cases during a short sleep cycle closer to the morning.

This violation appears regardless of what position the sleeping person is in. Moreover, the patient himself does not even suspect that he makes sounds in his sleep. In view of this, moaning does not cause unpleasant sensations in him. And the pathology itself is not dangerous to health and life.

What to pay attention to

It’s a different matter if constipation occurs in the very first days of a child’s life: even meconium, the original feces, does not pass, the stomach is swollen, the baby does not poop and does not gain weight. This is a serious symptom, indicating a congenital mechanical pathology that may require surgical intervention. An urgent examination is needed here: colonoscopy, radiography and ultrasound of the lower gastrointestinal tract. If suspicions are confirmed, the doctor will determine whether surgery is needed or whether special therapy will be sufficient.

You should also be wary when the child is already 3 months old and problems with stool continue. Now you can take tests for dysbiosis and the presence of necessary digestive enzymes.

Article on the topic

What to do if your baby is constipated?

Differences between catophrenia and other parosomnias

Catophrenia is often confused with other sleep pathologies. So let's look at how this condition differs from other disorders:

  • If we compare snoring and moaning, then in the first case the sound is formed on inhalation, and in the second on exhalation;
  • apnea differs from catophrenia in that breath holding occurs in the first case after exhalation, and in the second after inhalation;
  • Stridor is characterized by difficulty breathing due to airway stenosis. This type of disorder has nothing to do with the defect in question;
  • if a person begins to scream or whine during sleep, this is a signal that the patient is having an epileptic seizure, which has nothing to do with catophrenia;
  • are also not related to the violation in question.

Only a doctor can determine the causes of moaning in a dream, after diagnostics have been carried out and other pathologies have been excluded.

Everyday matter

At a certain stage of growth, digestive problems, including constipation, are normal. All babies aged 3 weeks to 3 months experience the unpleasant syndrome of intestinal colic associated with general immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract. This difficult time passes after the baby's digestive system is enriched with the necessary bacteria and enzymes, which usually occurs within two and a half months. During this period, what is required is not treatment, but patience and supportive procedures to help relieve intestinal gases. It makes no sense to get tested for dysbiosis, which is sometimes unjustifiably recommended by some pediatricians, since the process of colonizing the intestines with microflora has not yet been completed.

Causes of night moans

Today it has not been fully established why a person begins to moan at night. Moreover, it is not known how common this disorder is in humans. As a result, no specific therapy has been developed.

All that is known about this pathology, there are several reasons that provoke groans in sleep, namely:

  • reaction of psycho-emotional origin to a dream;
  • pain that does not disturb a woman’s sleep;
  • defects in the structure of the respiratory system or diseases that interfere with normal exhalation;
  • excessive weight, which results in oxygen starvation and shortness of breath;
  • disorders of mental or neurological origin that provoke anxiety and groans in sleep;
  • use of drugs, alcohol and medications that lead to a malfunction of the nervous system. Often a drunk person begins to moan during sleep precisely because of alcohol intoxication;
  • changes in blood pressure and hormonal imbalances;
  • pregnancy. However, as soon as the girl gives birth, this disorder disappears.

Important: If a person groans in his sleep, only close people can tell him about this violation.

In addition, people who have high intracranial and intraocular pressure may also moan at night. This is due to the fact that when pressure increases, a pain syndrome appears, which provokes the appearance of catophrenia.

How to fix the problem yourself

If the patient’s nighttime moans interfere with sleep for loved ones, you can do the following:

  • When a disorder appears, it is not recommended to wake the person, otherwise he may get scared. The best option would be to lightly stroke the head until he completely calms down;
  • helps to stop moaning during sleep with a slight push, after which the patient takes a different position and stops moaning;
  • a sleeping adult can calm down even after a couple of gentle words. After all, our brain works around the clock and is able to perceive any information.

These steps will help calm the patient. At the same time, remember that you should not delay visiting the doctor, since such actions only help for one night and are temporary.

Different approach

According to WHO standards, constipation is considered to be the absence of bowel movements for more than two days.
The positions of our doctors and doctors in the West on this issue differ. There is a widespread opinion among our doctors that something needs to be done after a day of delay, while their Western colleagues admit the possibility of waiting several days. Article on the topic How to improve bowel movements in a child? Pediatrician advice

Here, of course, you need to focus primarily on the child’s well-being. If the baby is suffering, assistance should not be delayed.

When a doctor's help is needed

First of all, it is quite difficult to combat such a violation. However, seeing a doctor should be mandatory if:

  • the lamentations became regular;
  • the disorder negatively affects the rest of loved ones;
  • such a pathology causes concern for relatives;
  • catophrenia negatively affects the patient’s quality of life, waking up in the morning is difficult, fatigue is felt and weakness worries throughout the day;
  • moaning provoked the development of insomnia, a sore throat appeared or the voice changed.

Important: In some cases, you can solve the problem by visiting a therapist. But sometimes the help of an otolaryngologist or somnologist is required.

Successful treatment depends on whether the cause of the groan is identified. It is worth noting that in some cases a consultation with a psychotherapist is necessary.

The problem is psychological

From one to two years of age, constipation in children can occur for psychological reasons. Having once experienced pain during bowel movements, the baby begins to hold in feces, this does not happen again, and the problem only gets worse. Here it is important to persuade the child to sit on the potty regularly so that this process turns into a conditioned reflex. At the same time, adults need to remain calm; parental anxiety around a sensitive topic will only create many difficulties for the child of a different, psychological nature.

How to diagnose

Today, even with the rapid development of modern medicine, such a disorder is mainly diagnosed only by interviewing the patient. During this examination, the doctor determines the presence of the following factors:

  • is there a predisposition along the hereditary line;
  • how regularly the disorder occurs, its duration and how often the attacks occur;
  • does the patient have bad habits?
  • whether the person takes medications, and which ones;
  • Are there any diseases of the respiratory system?
  • How full of emotions the day is. For example, joyful moments, unpleasantness, anger or strong moral stress;
  • what daily routine does the patient follow? What time does he go to bed, wakes up, does night awakenings bother him and what frequency are they, if there is such a problem;
  • what feelings a person experiences after waking up.

And lastly, how many times during the night the attacks occur and their duration. With this information, the doctor will be able to recommend therapy.

Treatment of catophrenia

First of all, it is worth noting that catophrenia is not dangerous for the patient himself, however, it can cause rapid fatigue and disrupt the sleep of loved ones. In view of this, complex treatment will be required.

So, what techniques can be used to eliminate catophrenia:

  • if the provoking factor for nighttime moaning is respiratory tract pathology, therapeutic therapy with medications and physiotherapeutic procedures is indicated;
  • when the cause is an abnormal structure of the ENT organ, surgical intervention will be required to correct the nasal septum;
  • in some cases, CPAP therapy is used to eliminate nocturnal attacks. This treatment option involves artificial ventilation of the lungs to make breathing easier;
  • in situations where the cause of night moaning is psychological in nature. The patient is required to work on himself. It is important to protect your body from stress and other similar irritants;
  • If a patient develops insomnia against the background of catophrenia, homeopathy will help solve this problem. Dr. Komarovsky advises getting rid of this condition using natural remedies that have virtually no contraindications. Such drugs are especially useful if the problem is identified in a child;
  • During therapy, it is important to change your lifestyle. First, review your diet, exclude fatty, smoked, spicy and fried foods. This will prevent obesity and asthma attacks;
  • When preparing for bed every day, take a contrast shower, clean your nasal passages and moisturize them. This will make breathing easier and prevent night moans.

The people closest to the sick person suffer the most with catophrenia. Therefore, during therapy and until this condition completely disappears, try to make the life of your relatives easier. To do this, buy them earplugs, with the help of which you will be able to isolate all extraneous sounds and get a good rest.

Sore throat in children: what parents should do

Irritation and pain in the oropharynx usually occur due to infection or inflammation. To accurately determine the cause of the malaise, you should consult a pediatrician or pediatric ENT doctor. The doctor recommends remedies for a sore throat for children and prescribes medications to treat an infectious or other disease of the upper respiratory tract. Complex therapy will be required to not only relieve discomfort, but also prevent complications.

Sore throat remedies

What to do if your child has a sore throat (before visiting a doctor):

  • Rinse with a solution of 1 tsp. salt per cup of warm water to reduce swelling and disinfect the mucous membrane.
  • Take enough liquid (hot green tea, chamomile infusion, linden blossom).
  • Gargle with infusion of common sage leaves or clary sage flowers.
  • Drink hot milk with honey in small sips (the drink is given to a child over 2 years old).
  • For rinsing, you can use a solution of furatsilin tablets and baking soda.
  • Brew ginger like tea, dissolve the candied pieces of rhizome.
  • Do steam inhalations with thyme and drink tea.

Lemon and honey reduce swelling and inflammation. Citrus is a rich source of vitamin C and flavonoids, while honey is a natural antibacterial and antiviral agent. Add a slice of lemon and a teaspoon of honey to a glass of hot water. You can take 2-3 cups of the drink per day.

Lemon, honey, cup of tea

Sucking on lollipops and lozenges with sage and vitamin C helps. Additional saliva secretion helps moisturize the mucous membrane, the active components of the drug disinfect the oropharynx, reduce the activity of microbes, and reduce pain. Lozenges, lozenges and lozenges are sold in pharmacies without a prescription. They contain flavorings, so you need to be careful if your child’s body is hypersensitive to chemical additives.

Local preparations - lozenges, lozenges, spray, aerosol with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory components - quickly eliminate a sore throat.

A child who has a sore and sore throat may find it difficult to swallow tablets and capsules. Children do not yet know how to take medications correctly. It is very good that drugs for treating children are now available in liquid form. Parents need to pay attention to this when purchasing medicine at the pharmacy. Many people prefer products with natural ingredients. Lozenges, tincture and oil solution of Chlorophyllipt based on an extract from eucalyptus leaves have a strong antiseptic effect.

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Preventive measures

We discussed above why the disorder appears. Now let's find out whether its development can be prevented.

First of all, catophrenia is not dangerous for the person himself, but it can create discomfort for loved ones. As a rule, this disorder manifests itself both daily, in response to an irritant, and periodically. Therefore, in order to exclude provocateurs, follow a few simple rules:

  • ventilate the room before going to bed;
  • do not drink alcohol or any other products that have a stimulating effect on the nervous system at least 5 hours before bedtime;
  • maintain bedroom humidity at 60%;
  • it is desirable that the temperature of the rest room should not be higher than 22C;
  • try not to overeat at night. It is advisable to eat food 2 hours before the planned rest;
  • turn off all electrical appliances in the room at night;
  • You need to sleep in the dark and in silence. Under such conditions, melatonin is produced more actively;
  • develop a rest routine and stick to it. Go to bed no later than 22:00 and wake up at 6:30;
  • Try not to watch programs with a negative storyline.

By organizing your vacation taking into account the listed recommendations, in most cases the groaning goes away forever. However, if after all the steps taken, the problem does not disappear, contact a somnologist. This doctor specializes in sleep abnormalities and will be able to help solve the problem. In addition, in some cases, to exclude other provocateurs of pathology, you need to visit a therapist.

And in conclusion, it is worth emphasizing that if you experience moaning at night, visit a doctor immediately. Remember, this condition brings a lot of discomfort to your loved ones. And in some cases, pathology can provoke the persistent development of insomnia.

Cataphrenia is a condition where a person groans while sleeping.

The literal translation comes from the Greek language and means the following: cata (cata) - lower, phrenia (phrenia) - lament. This condition refers to parasomnia - an unwanted (abnormal) behavioral reaction during sleep. What it is and whether it is dangerous to health, as well as how to deal with it, will be discussed later in the article.

The mechanism of groans during sleep is as follows: the sleeping person inhales deeply, then a slight breath hold is possible, after which the adult exhales the air protractedly, accompanied by a long groan. This is usually a fairly loud sound that will be noticeable to others. Moreover, in most cases it will disturb their sleep, which cannot be said about people who moan in their sleep. For them, night sounds do not wake them up, and therefore they do not remember about it in the morning.

It is impossible to determine from the face of a sleeping person that he has any worries. Facial expressions are not changed, complete calm is reflected.

The nature of the groans can be characterized as follows:

  • loud roar;
  • loud buzzing;
  • mooing;
  • squeal;
  • snort

The duration of moaning can vary: from a few seconds to a whole minute. There may be several episodes per night that repeat like a series. The duration of one episode can also vary and sometimes reach 1 hour.

The position of the body during sleep does not in any way affect the appearance and nature of groans during sleep. Thus, in any position, a person can groan in the middle of the night. However, it has been observed that after changing the position, a person who moans while sleeping at night stops doing so.

A person can moan during sleep in both phases, but most often this occurs in the fast phase. As you know, with each new cycle of night sleep, the REM sleep phase increases, and the slow sleep phase decreases. The logical conclusion is that in the morning moaning lasts longer than at the beginning of the night.

Causes and prevalence of catophrenia

Since moaning in sleep is not a disease, this condition has been little studied in medicine. Thus, neither the frequency of occurrence nor the obvious reasons for the development of this state of a sleeping person are still known for certain. There have been no reliable clinical studies on this topic. It has been noted that men suffer from such characteristics more often than women.

Possible causes of moaning during sleep include the following:

  • Poor sleep can be the reason why a person groans during sleep, so he can express the emotions that overwhelm him at this moment.
  • Pain – if in a dream a person experiences physical pain for some reason: a nerve root is pinched, the heart is compressed, etc., he may unconsciously groan in his sleep.
  • Narrowing of the lumen of the upper respiratory tract, which prevents normal exhalation.
  • Mental disorders.
  • Diseases of the nervous system or brain damage.
  • Alcohol and drug abuse.
  • Smoking.

All these reasons are just a theory, so you need to remember that even an absolutely healthy person without physical and psychological problems may experience moaning in their sleep.

Moro reflex

Another cause of flinching is the Moro reflex. This is a built-in survival mechanism that nature has endowed the baby with. The fact is that for a newborn, leaving the cozy house and mother’s tummy is a big stress. There he felt the support provided by the walls of the uterus.

baby's restless sleep

The Moro reflex is an attempt to gain support and balance. The space around the baby is too vast. The baby may dream that he is falling. Therefore, he shudders and very sharply raises his arms to the sides, and may scream at this moment. It looks scary for mom. This phenomenon can be accompanied by restless sleep in a baby at 1 month and up to three. As a rule, after this period this phenomenon goes away. It’s not for nothing that the first three months are called the “fourth trimester of pregnancy.” The baby may also flinch from noise, pain, or bright light.

Important! If you notice convulsive movements in a child during the entire period of sleep and the baby screams without waking up, this may be a sign of a health problem. Be sure to show your baby to the doctor. The cause may be a metabolic disorder, calcium deficiency, or high intracranial pressure.

Difference from other conditions

It is worth distinguishing catophrenia from the following parasomnias:

  • - the sounds that the sleeper makes occur while inhaling, in contrast to catophrenia, which is characterized by groans while exhaling.
  • – in catophrenia, a groan may be preceded by a cessation of breathing, but it occurs at the height of inspiration, while in sleep apnea, at the end of exhalation.
  • Stridorous breathing - with narrowing of the airways caused by pathological processes in the bronchi, each breath will be accompanied by noisy breathing, similar to a whistle. Has no periodicity.
  • Feet during an epileptic seizure - also lacks periodicity and is accompanied by additional symptoms of the disease.

Diagnostics

Typically, the diagnosis of catophrenia is made based on a survey.

The following points are important for the doctor:

  • frequency of moaning, duration of one episode;
  • duration of the onset of night moaning;
  • your dreams, the presence of nightmares;
  • presence of others;
  • the presence of this pathology in the family history;
  • your consumption of alcohol, drugs or medications the day before.

It would not be amiss to provide the specialist with a diary, where for 2 weeks you recorded data about night moaning (their frequency, duration), yours, your emotional state and state in the morning.

Professionals who can help you in this situation include:

  • A somnologist - he will be able to conduct an additional polysomnography study and study for certain the nature of your sleep, thereby finding out whether there is any connection between nighttime moaning and other sleep disorders.
  • Otorhinolaryngologist - he will conduct a detailed examination of the ENT organs to determine the possible organic cause of the appearance of groans during sleep.
  • Psychotherapist - will be able to find out possible mental or psychological aspects of the appearance of catophrenia.

Reflux

Sometimes a sore throat may be completely unrelated to the work of the ENT organs. In particular, a child may experience constant coughing if his digestive tract is not working well and stomach contents enter the esophagus. Doctors classify this condition as reflux esophagitis. You can suspect its development by:

  • Lack or decreased appetite.
  • Bad breath.
  • Hiccups, coughing.
  • Voice changes.
  • Swallowing disorders.
  • Complaints of a burning sensation in the chest or bitterness in the mouth, etc.

Treatment of this pathology is carried out under the supervision of a gastroenterologist, who will find out the main causes of the disease. Fortunately, reflux in children can most often be managed through lifestyle changes.

Treatment

To date, unfortunately, no treatment has been developed for catophrenia.

This condition is not dangerous to your life, although it may interfere with your quality of life, as well as your sleep and the sleep of those close to you.

  • Before going to bed, you need to clear your airways in one of the following ways: take a warm shower and rinse your nasal passages;
  • perform breathing exercises;
  • drink warm tea, which will help make the secretion in the nose more liquid.
  • Sleeping with the head of the bed raised will prevent a possible cause of groaning – retraction of the tongue.
  • For those around you, we can advise:

    • Use while sleeping.
    • Create a background from the so-called. white noise: sound from a fan, humidifier.
    • Sleep in another room.
    • While sleeping, carefully, without waking the sleeping person, change his body position (read more in the article about).

    Thus, catophrenia is not a type of parasomnia that is dangerous to health. But you should always remember that it can mask really serious problems with the nervous system, psyche and internal organs, so to find out the exact cause you need to consult a specialist.

    List of used literature:

    • Caruth C. Unclaimed experience: trauma, narrative, and history. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press (English)Russian, 1996.
    • Felman Sh. The juridical unconscious: trials and traumas in the twentieth century. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2002.
    • Luckhurst R. The trauma question. London; New York: Routledge, 2008.

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    What happens after consciousness leaves the human body and goes to the kingdom of Morpheus?

    Some scientists say that the subconscious begins to work, others suspect that a person will live the bright events of his life in completely new images, there are those who talk about the completely mystical origin of sleep.

    Some people remember dreams, others become direct participants, or vice versa - observers. Dreams are those images and pictures that our brain sees when we cannot control it. Not surprisingly, it is different for everyone.

    The science that studies sleep has its adherents with different views. Esotericism is studied by those who attach a more mystical and philosophical meaning to sleep. At the same time, it does not imply any secrets or special knowledge - this science is accessible to everyone. There is also a more scientific category that studies sleep. If we talk specifically about groans, which our article is devoted to, scientifically speaking, this is parasomnia. This is what sleep-related moaning is called. This is considered a mental disorder.

    As a rule, moaning in a dream implies certain emotions that a person experiences in his dreams. Most often they are negative, and may even be painful.

    There is no pattern or “rules” for those who suffer from this disease.

    Moans can be produced in any position, and their duration can be from a few seconds to a whole hour. The face of such a person does not express any emotions.

    The person himself, as a rule, does not know that he moaned in a dream, and accordingly, he cannot wake up from this.

    Parasomnia cannot be associated with other ailments that affect sleepers. It has nothing to do with those who suffer from nightmares or who like to talk in their sleep. But at the same time, they can overlap.

    Treatment and prevention

    Methods of treatment and prevention of constipation not associated with dysbacteriosis or fermentopathy depend on the age and nutrition of the child. In infants under 6 months of age, the risk of constipation occurs more often with artificial feeding. This is usually due to a lack of fluid. When a bottle-fed baby does not have bowel movements for several days, to solve the problem it is often enough to simply supplement him with clean water between feedings. A simple clockwise tummy massage or a gas tube often helps.

    Infants older than 3 months can be given a little prune infusion between feedings (to do this, rinse a few prunes, pour a glass of boiling water and leave for a couple of hours). Medications and cleansing enemas should be considered as a last resort when other means have been exhausted. If you have any doubts, before doing anything, you should first consult with the doctor observing the child.

    It happens that constipation stops on its own after six months of age, when complementary foods in the form of vegetables are introduced. To prevent constipation, the diet of an older child should contain a sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits, dairy products and liquids. It is useful for all children (and adults) to drink a glass of warm water on an empty stomach in the morning - sometimes this alone is enough to prevent the problem of constipation from arising.

    Causes

    There are different reasons for moaning during sleep. Sometimes they are directly related to the emotions or sensations that a person experiences, sometimes they are a reaction to some processes that the sleeper cannot influence, which is why they are displayed in such an unconventional way. It may also be that there is no reason, or the person will not remember it.

    The most common reasons for moaning in sleep are:

    • Bad dream. If a person is frightened or somehow stressed by what he sees in a dream, he can express this with the help of groans.
    • You can also add a mystical reason, which suggests that in a dream a person lives a different life. And a groan is just a “breakthrough” of that life into this one.
    • If a person is in pain, he may groan, even while awake. At night, he may even wake up from this, again, with a groan.
    • The human body continues to work even in sleep. This means that if your hand becomes numb, your temperature rises, or your heart hurts, your body reacts to these problems with groans.
    • Moans may not always be bad. It is quite possible that the dream will be erotic, and then the person will moan with pleasure. Although, it will not be difficult to distinguish them. In this case, it’s definitely not worth waking him up.
    • Absence of any reason. A person can moan in his sleep just like that. Or, he will not remember such a reason.

    These are the main but only reasons. And if they are not directly related to sleep, after waking up a person simply will not remember the sounds that he made at night.

    Problems with bowel movements: the child does not sleep, fidgets, groans

    Does your baby have problems with bowel movements? Naturally, they can cause restless sleep in a child. You can talk about constipation if the child cannot defecate for a long time, the feces have become very hard, and the child cries hysterically. If you close your eyes to the problem, the consequences can be very dire. You shouldn't ignore it. Show your baby to the doctor and follow his instructions.

    Doctors usually prescribe glycerin suppositories to soften stool. You can also use enemas. But you shouldn’t do this too often, as a new problem called “lazy gut” may arise. This is a situation when a child cannot have a bowel movement without special means. The intestines of any person quickly get used to such help and no longer want to work. Then constipation can become chronic, which is very bad because it leads to general intoxication of the body and constant pain.

    How to help without a specialist

    If the common cause needs to be treated with the help of specialists, then how to help the sleeping person without harming him?

    You can do this in several ways:

    • You won't do anything
      . This might scare him. It's better to let him wake up on his own. To do this, stroke him or gently pat him on the shoulder. It’s not entirely clear why, but such calm touches really calm down.
    • Change position
      . Here again, you should do this in such a way as not to wake up the sleeping person. You can create conditions that are uncomfortable for him, or push him to change his position.
    • Normal conversation
      . This option will also help if a person says something in a dream. In unique situations, you can even start a completely meaningful conversation with the sleeping person. But the main thing is that he will stop moaning.
    • Do not touch the sleeping person
      . A very dubious method. And although groans are rarely associated with the emotions experienced in sleep, everyone around you is unlikely to sleep to such a nightly “sound,” especially if it is repeated.

    The main thing in all these methods is not to suddenly wake up the person. This can really scare him and hurt him.

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