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Problems Staying Asleep Night wakings are most likely to occur in infants if they haven't learned how to fall asleep on their own. If a baby always falls asleep in a parent's arms or sucking a pacifier or bottle, he's likely to cry out in protest and confusion when he wakes and finds the person or object missing. To overcome this problem, make sure the baby's last memory is not of being held or fed but of being by himself in the bed in which he'll spend the night. |
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Nightmares Nightmares are common in children, particularly before age seven. Often they reflect the normal emotional concerns of childhood; loss of love, separation, toilet training and dealing with aggressive or sexual impulses. Occasional nightmares are part of the normal process of growing
up. The best response in reassurance and understanding. Try
talking about your child's worries or concerns during the day. Frequent nightmares may indicate some physical or emotional stress
that's affecting the child or family. Night Terrors Children experiencing a night terror awaken abruptly usually with a scream of panic, and are so frightened that parents may have to spend tem minutes just calming them down. Night terrors is not fully understood, but the risk increases if parents also suffered from them. Occasional night terrors are considered normal in youngsters. Parents often are more upset than the child, who frequently does not remember the episode. However, if siblings or friends tease a child about screaming and crying in the night, the child may be deeply embarrassed. |
Bedwetting About 15 percent of all five year old still wet their beds. About 60 percent of bed-wetters are boys. Medical causes of bedwetting are uncommon, but physicians recommend a medical examination and tests to rule out any physiological problems in children over age five. Genetic factors play an important role. If both parents have a history of childhood bedwetting, there's a 75% chance that their child will wet the bed. If one parent had been a bed wetter, the odds are 45 percent that a child will have difficulty staying dry during the night. Bedwetting can stem from various causes, including a small bladder, excessively deep sleep, increased urine output or delayed development. Treatments include bladder training and conditioning methods, such as using a signaling device to waken children if they begin to urinate. The attitudes of parents, siblings and others are crucial in overcoming a problem and influencing how a child feels about himself and the bedwetting. The keys are praise, reinforcement and responsibility. Drug therapy is effective, but because of the risk of side-effects, it is recommended only in certain situations,, such as when a child is going to camp or sleeping at a friend's house. |
Sleepwalking Between the ages of 5 and 12, 10 to 15 percent of children-- with
boys outnumbering girls-- walk in their sleep or at least once; 6
percent take to their feet once a week or more. Possible causes
include a still developing central nervous system, high fever or extreme
fatigue. Children whose parents were sleepwalkers are ten times
more likely to wander in the night. If you come upon a sleepwalking child, try not to startle him. If you must rouse a sleepwalker because he's in danger (standing in front of an open second-story window, for instance), don't yell, slap or shake him or splash cold water on his face. Repeat his name calmly until he show signs of response, reassure him that he's ok and guide him back to bed. Most children outgrow sleepwalking, but parents should make the environment as safe a s possible. Lock windows and doors to the outside and keep the keys with you. Install protective gates at stairs and hide dangerous objects. Answer a child's questions about sleepwalking frankly, but don't pay excessive attention to it. |
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Medical Causes Any illness or injury can affect a child's sleep. In young children, ear infections are common culprits. In older children, parents should listen for breathing difficulties or odd noises, including loud snoring. The problem may be enlarged tonsils or adenoids, which are blocking the youngsters airway during the night. Surgery can eliminate the problem. Extreme daytime sleepiness may indicate serious sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, a dangerous breathing disruption or narcolepsy, a disorder of the sleep control mechanism in the brain. Parents should have a pediatrician check out any sleep disturbance that interferes with a child's normal daytime behavior for more than two weeks.
Nothing makes it harder to sleep like a baby than having one. Not surprisingly, the number one complain of new parents is fatigue. If, for a least a little while, you have to get by with less rest than you like, here are some tips for making it through the night-- and the next day.
Source: Operation Safe Sleep
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Coping Without Sleep: A Survival Guide for Parents
