Specific Learning Disability Unmasked by Psychophysiological Insomnia

Sleep is essential for good cognition and academic performance. Children with deficits in learning and cognition thus have various sleep disturbances. Learning disabilities in dyslexia are exaggerated with associated sleep problems which also impact the daily routine. Although it is essential to rule out organic etiologies in insomnia, it should also be borne in mind to probe the child's functional performance in school. Psychophysiological insomnia should be considered in perpetuating stressful conditions. Any scholastic difficulty in a child has to be seriously evaluated to estimate the underlying condition. We report a rare case of psychophysiological insomnia diagnosed in a child with specific learning disability. Awareness of the associated sleep difficulties in dyslexia helps in improved assessment and treatment of such children.