SLEEP PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN
Sleep problems are very common during the first few years of life. Problems may include waking up during the night, not wanting to go to sleep, nightmares, sleepwalking, and bedwetting.
Keep in mind that children may differ in the amount of sleep they need, how long it takes them to fall asleep, and how easily they wake up. Ask your child’s pediatrician if you have any questions about her sleep habits.
Nightmares
Nightmares are scary dreams that often occur during the second half of the night, when dreaming is most intense. Children may wake up crying or feeling afraid and may have trouble going back to sleep.
What you can do:
- Go to your child as quickly as possible.
- Assure your child that you are there and will not let anything harm them.
- Encourage your child to tell you what happened in the dream. Remind them that dreams are not real.
- Allow children to keep a light on if it makes them feel better.
- Once your child is ready, encourage her to go back to sleep.
- Look for things in the room that may scare your child, like certain shadows. If so, try to make them go away.
Night terrors occur most often in toddler and preschoolers and take place during the deepest stages of sleep. Deepest sleep usually happens early in the night, often before parents’ bedtime.
During a night terror, your child might:
- Cry uncontrollably
- Sweat, shake, or breathe fast
- Have a terrified, confused, or glassy-eyed look
- Thrash around, scream, kick, or stare
- Not recognize you or not realize you are there
- Try to push you away, especially if you try to hold them
What you can do:
- Stay calm. Children are unaware of their night terrors because they are asleep, so there is no effect on children, only parents.
- Make sure children cannot hurt themselves. If they try to get out of bed, gently restrain them.
- Remember, after a short time children will probably relax and sleep quietly again. If children have night terrors, be sure to tell babysitters or other caregivers what night terrors are and what to do. If night terrors persist, talk with your child’s doctor.
Like night terrors, sleepwalking and sleep talking happen when children are in a deep sleep. While sleepwalking, children often have a blank stare. They may not respond to others, and it may be very difficult to wake them up. Most sleepwalkers return to bed on their own and do not remember getting out of bed. Sleepwalking tends to run in families. It can even occur several times in on enight amongst older children and teens.
What you can do:
- Make sure children don’t hurt themselves while sleepwalking. Clear the bedroom of things they could trip over or fall on.
- Lock outside doors so children cannot leave the house.
- Block stairways so children cannot go up or down.
- Do not try to wake children when they are sleepwalking or sleep talking. Gently lead them to bed, and they will probably slow down on their own.
Nighttime bedwetting (or nocturnal enuresis) affects 5 million children in the United States. Although most children are toilet trained between 2 and 4 years of age, some children may not be able to stay dry at night until they are older. Children develop at their own rate. Fifteen percent of 5 to 7 year olds wet the bed. By age 15, this number decreases to 1%.
What you can do:
- Do not blame your children. Remember that it is not their fault.
- Offer support, not punishment, for wet nights. Let your child know that she will outgrow it eventually.
- Set a no-teasing rule in your family.
- Let your children help. Encourage them to help change the wet sheets and covers. This teaches responsibility. It also can keep them from feeling embarrassed if the rest of the family knows. However, if they view this as punishment, it is not recommended.
- Parents may try waking children to use the toilet 1 to 2 hours after they go to sleep or encouraging children to drink less in the evening. However, keep in mind that bedwetting can still occur because their kidneys will continue to produce urine throughout the night regardless of the timing of fluid consumption.
- If you are concerned about your child’s bedwetting, talk with her doctor. There are treatments available for older children and adolescents.
AAP Feed run on: 9/14/2024 Article information last modified on: 9/14/2024
SLEEP PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN
Sleep problems are very common during the first few years of life. Problems may include waking up during the night, not wanting to go to sleep, nightmares, sleepwalking, and bedwetting.
Keep in mind that children may differ in the amount of sleep they need, how long it takes them to fall asleep, and how easily they wake up. Ask your child’s pediatrician if you have any questions about her sleep habits.
Nightmares
Nightmares are scary dreams that often occur during the second half of the night, when dreaming is most intense. Children may wake up crying or feeling afraid and may have trouble going back to sleep.
What you can do:
- Go to your child as quickly as possible.
- Assure your child that you are there and will not let anything harm them.
- Encourage your child to tell you what happened in the dream. Remind them that dreams are not real.
- Allow children to keep a light on if it makes them feel better.
- Once your child is ready, encourage her to go back to sleep.
- Look for things in the room that may scare your child, like certain shadows. If so, try to make them go away.
Night terrors occur most often in toddler and preschoolers and take place during the deepest stages of sleep. Deepest sleep usually happens early in the night, often before parents’ bedtime.
During a night terror, your child might:
- Cry uncontrollably
- Sweat, shake, or breathe fast
- Have a terrified, confused, or glassy-eyed look
- Thrash around, scream, kick, or stare
- Not recognize you or not realize you are there
- Try to push you away, especially if you try to hold them
What you can do:
- Stay calm. Children are unaware of their night terrors because they are asleep, so there is no effect on children, only parents.
- Make sure children cannot hurt themselves. If they try to get out of bed, gently restrain them.
- Remember, after a short time children will probably relax and sleep quietly again. If children have night terrors, be sure to tell babysitters or other caregivers what night terrors are and what to do. If night terrors persist, talk with your child’s doctor.
Like night terrors, sleepwalking and sleep talking happen when children are in a deep sleep. While sleepwalking, children often have a blank stare. They may not respond to others, and it may be very difficult to wake them up. Most sleepwalkers return to bed on their own and do not remember getting out of bed. Sleepwalking tends to run in families. It can even occur several times in on enight amongst older children and teens.
What you can do:
- Make sure children don’t hurt themselves while sleepwalking. Clear the bedroom of things they could trip over or fall on.
- Lock outside doors so children cannot leave the house.
- Block stairways so children cannot go up or down.
- Do not try to wake children when they are sleepwalking or sleep talking. Gently lead them to bed, and they will probably slow down on their own.
Nighttime bedwetting (or nocturnal enuresis) affects 5 million children in the United States. Although most children are toilet trained between 2 and 4 years of age, some children may not be able to stay dry at night until they are older. Children develop at their own rate. Fifteen percent of 5 to 7 year olds wet the bed. By age 15, this number decreases to 1%.
What you can do:
- Do not blame your children. Remember that it is not their fault.
- Offer support, not punishment, for wet nights. Let your child know that she will outgrow it eventually.
- Set a no-teasing rule in your family.
- Let your children help. Encourage them to help change the wet sheets and covers. This teaches responsibility. It also can keep them from feeling embarrassed if the rest of the family knows. However, if they view this as punishment, it is not recommended.
- Parents may try waking children to use the toilet 1 to 2 hours after they go to sleep or encouraging children to drink less in the evening. However, keep in mind that bedwetting can still occur because their kidneys will continue to produce urine throughout the night regardless of the timing of fluid consumption.
- If you are concerned about your child’s bedwetting, talk with her doctor. There are treatments available for older children and adolescents.
AAP Feed run on: 9/14/2024 Article information last modified on: 9/14/2024
