Narcolepsy often occurs before the age of 18 with a peak around 15 years of age. A disease that is certainly rare, but diagnosed late, it can be the cause of stigma and academic failure. Also, recognizing the signs for appropriate treatment is essential!
Narcolepsy, the signs that should alert you.
Disease of the central nervous system, it manifests itself in particular by falling asleep
irrepressible at any time of the day. Even in full activity and also of course, at school or high school. As for sleep at night, it is often disturbed. Signs that should alert us recall the awareness and information campaign led by the ANC, the French Narcolepsy Association with the support of the Bioprojet laboratory.
Other signs should attract attention, such as Cataplexy. These are episodes of loss of muscle tone in the body with the risk of a sudden fall and also, underlines Yves Dauvilliers, professor of neurology and physiology, a sagging of the face, difficulty smiling, a grimace, triggered by emotions. Narcoleptics can also suffer from rapid weight gain, hallucinations, difficulty concentrating, and hyperactivity.
A diagnosis often very long
It must be recognized that the diagnosis takes a long time... “In fact, frequent falling asleep during childhood or adolescence is not necessarily seen as pathological” explains Manon Brigandet, president of the ANC. We rather associate them with a healthy lifestyle: screens, sleep deprivation. But “it is important to let people know that behind these frequent and common symptoms, there may be an illness,” she continues.
So what should you do if your child shows these signs?
Have you identified signs of narcolepsy in your child? So, make an appointment with a healthcare professional. Following examinations carried out in a Reference Center, he will benefit from personalized support. With behavioral management and medication prescription. Even if you are not cured of this disease, this support will improve your quality of life and your education!
 Pascale Pommier de Santi
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25/09/2023 | 
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