There are several reports of successful use of hypnotherapy for parasomnias specifically for head and body rocking, bedwetting and sleepwalking.Hypnotherapy has been studied in the treatment of sleep disorders in both adults and children. Music therapy
Although more research should be done to increase the reliability of this method of treatment, research suggests that music therapy can improve sleep quality in acute and chronic sleep disorders. In one particular study, participants (18 years or older) who had experienced acute or chronic sleep disorders were put in a randomly controlled trial, and their sleep efficiency, in the form of overall time asleep, was observed. In order to assess sleep quality, researchers used subjective measures (i.e. questionnaires) and objective measures (i.e. polysomnography). The results of the study suggest that music therapy did improve sleep quality in subjects with acute or chronic sleep disorders, though only when tested subjectively. Although these results are not fully conclusive and more research should be conducted, it still provides evidence that music therapy can be an effective treatment for sleep disorders.In another study specifically looking to help people with insomnia, similar results were seen. The participants that listened to music experienced better sleep quality than those who did not listen to music. Listening to slower pace music before bed can help decrease the heart rate, making it easier to transition into sleep. Studies have indicated that music helps induce a state of relaxation that shifts an individuals internal clock towards the sleep cycle.
Cause
Recent research suggests that AHC is caused by a de novo (spontaneous) genetic mutation in the ATP1A3 gene on chromosome 19 (locus 19q13.31) which encodes enzyme ATP1A3. A small number of cases seem to be caused by a mutation in the ATP1A2 gene. Where the mutation is inherited, it has the autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance.Previously AHC was thought to be a form of complicated migraine because of strong family histories of migraine reported in AHC cases. AHC has also been considered to be a movement disorder or a form of epilepsy. Suggested causes have included channelopathy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cerebrovascular dysfunction. The disorder most closely related to AHC is familial hemiplegic migraine which is caused by a mutation in a gene for calcium channel receptors. It was thus thought that AHC may be caused by a similar channelopathy. Diagnosis
As of 1993 only approximately 30 people with AHC had been described in scientific literature. Due to the rarity and complexity of AHC, it is not unusual for the initial diagnosis to be incorrect, or for diagnosis to be delayed for several months after the initial symptoms become apparent. The average age of diagnosis is just over 36 months. Diagnosis of AHC is not only difficult because of its rarity, but because there is no diagnostic test, making this a diagnosis of exclusion. There are several generally accepted criteria which define this disorder, however other conditions with a similar presentation, such as HSV encephalitis, must first be ruled out.