When kids can’t sleep, it can be a nightmare for their loving parents. Here are some useful tips on how to handle sleeping disorders in children.

As adults, many of us are reluctant to seek advice when we have trouble sleeping. We assume it’s related to a source of stress or frustration and silently hope that when we solve that problem we will also solve our sleeping problems. But when it’s your child that can’t sleep it’s a whole other issue. The good news is that most sleep irregularities are temporary. Remember that regularity is crucial to good sleeping habits in both children and adults. If your children are not on a steady schedule then it’s time to put them on one. Here is a list of tips that will set your children up for a good night’s sleep:

No caffeine. Ideally kids shouldn’t have caffeine at all, but society and clever marketing have us convinced that it’s an acceptable choice for our children and ourselves. Thus caffeine is a regular culprit when kids can’t sleep. If you are going to allow your children to have caffeine, then make it a special treat and limit it strictly to morning and afternoon meals.

Establish pre-sleep routines. At least an hour before bedtime, your child should start their pre-sleep routine. For most kids, this includes brushing their teeth, bathing, putting on their pajamas, and having a story read to them or having their parents tuck them in. These simple routines can be done at home or while away on vacation and signify to your child both consciously and subconsciously that it’s time to prepare for sleep.

Know what your children need. Many times it’s not that kids can’t sleep, it’s that they don’t want to, but being lenient about bedtime is one of the biggest and most harmful mistakes a parent can make. A surprising majority of the population thinks that eight hours is not only the ideal amount of sleep for them but for their children too. In truth, children between the ages of five and 12 should still be sleeping 9 to 12 hours a night. Progressively later bedtimes for children in this age group have led to a large number of sleep-deprived children. Don’t let yours be among that number!

If your child seems tired during the day and especially if they are falling asleep during the day, then they are not getting enough sleep. Remember to model good sleep behaviors in your own life, and to be considerate of your child’s sleeping needs when you are still awake (lower the TV volume, shut off lights that are visible from their room, etc).

While virtually everyone will have sleep problems at some point in their life, there are some situations that are better handled by professionals. How do you know when to go to a doctor? You should go to a doctor any time that your kids can’t sleep due to physical discomfort. You should also get medical attention if you suspect your child has a sleeping disorder and their sleep loss has continued for an extended period of time. Finally, if your child is sleeping but has irregular sleep patterns or is still tired when they wake up, consult your doctor about possible solutions.

Summary

Sleep deprivation in babies or infants is not very different from sleep deprivation in adults. A number of adults find it difficult to sleep each night and similarly infants also have problems while trying to sleep. The only difference is that the causes of sleeping problems in babies are entirely different from the causes of sleep problems in adults.

In adults sleep problems are usually blamed on the factors like stress, jetlag, depression, work, etc. but what have these factors to do with the babies that can’t sleep ? In fact every child or baby has varying sleep patterns and different sleeping habits. Even the time, when they go to sleep also varies from one infant to other. Usually during the first few months from their birth, babies on an average, sleep for about 16-18 hours per day. The baby may wake up once or twice during this sleeping period but normally falls back asleep on his own.

Babies experiencing sleeping problems usually:

• Find it very difficult to go to sleep

• Wake up quite early in the morning

• Wake up a number of times during the night and have a difficult time in getting back to sleep

Sleeping problems in babies are often due to one or some of the following reasons:

• Babies or young children may want to grab the attention of their parents at all the times.

• The baby may be suffering from some digestive problems like colic.

• The most common reason is that the baby might be hungry and not getting proper feed.

• Sleepless nights are very common the infants start their teething process.

• The baby may be having some serious health ailment.

Some tips to handle babies that can’t sleep:

• If the baby starts crying in the middle of the night, there is absolutely no need to rush there immediately. Most of the times babies stop crying on their own and fall back asleep themselves. Your attention or intervention at each and every cry will provide the baby with a reason to remain awake.

• Make sure that the outside noises are not disturbing your baby’s sleep. If you think that such noises are preventing your baby from sound sleep then you can try to cover up these noises by playing some soft music.

• Do not encourage the baby’s habit of going to sleep in your arms. Try and cultivate the ritual of his falling asleep in the crib. Make sure to select a comfortable crib and provide the baby with soft pillows that can mould perfectly according to the shape of the baby’s head.

• Unless the doctor prescribes, you should never use any infant medication on your own, to make your child fall asleep.

• The market is replete with baby products that help in promoting sleep. These devices are called sleep machines and produce white noise. These machines allow the child to have a restful sleep.

As a responsible parent it is important for you to know when to go to a doctor regarding your baby’s sleeping problems. Despite of all your efforts, if the number of consecutive sleepless nights of your baby keeps on increasing then you must head to a physician for a thorough check-up of your baby.