Schlafstörungen bei Säuglingen, Kindern und Jugendlichen sind ein häu-figes Problem. Mindestens 20% der Kinder im Grundschulalter beschreiben Schlafprobleme, die oft gemeinsam mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten, verminderter Leistungsfähigkeit, Schulproblemen und Hyperaktivität auftreten. Daher kommt einer früh-zeitigen Erkennung typischer Symptome in der kinderärztlichen Praxis besondere Bedeutung zu. Das weite Spektrum der Schlafstörungen ebenso wie die altersabhängig unterschiedliche Symptomatik erfordern eine differenzierte abgestufte Diagnostik, bei der Kinderärzte, Kinderund Jugendpsychiater sowie Kinderpsychologen gleichermaßen gefordert sind.

Several different systems are used to classify sleep disorders. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-2), established in 2005 by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), utilizes eight different categories [1]: insomnias, sleep-related breathing disorders, hypersomnias, circadian rhythm disorders, parasomnias, sleep-related movement disorders, isolated symptoms/normal variants/unresolved issues, as well as other sleep disorders. Sleep disorders are a frequent problem during infancy and childhood, and at least 20% of children in elementary school describe having sleep problems, which are often accompanied by abnormal behavior, hyperactivity, and lack of concentration and result in problems at school. Several sleep disorders, for example, obstructive sleep apnea, have been observed to cause physical diseases as well as growth and developmental problems [2, 3]. Thus, it is essential to detect the problem early, to obtain a differentiated diagnosis, and initiate appropriate therapeutic measures.