Associated concerns

Sleep is the primary activity of the brain during early development. The sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm) is regulated by light and dark. These rhythms take time to develop, resulting in:

• Irregular sleep schedules of newborns
• The rhythms begin to develop at about six weeks
• By the age of 3-6 months, most infants have a regular sleep-wake cycle.
• By the age of 2, most children have spent more time asleep than awake and overall, a child will spend 40% of their childhood asleep.

Sleep is especially important for children as it directly impacts mental and physical development. Children and adolescents need at least nine hours of sleep per night. Sleep disturbances and insufficient sleeping hours can have negative influences on children's performance in school, social interactions and other activities.
A child having sleep problems may exhibit may exhibit one or more of the following during his sleep; snoring ( may suggest enlarged / hypertrophied adenoids), difficulty falling asleep, problems with sleeping through the night, waking
frequently during night or waking too early, having irregular sleep pattern, night mares or terrors. In some cases, sleep disturbances usually accompany some disorders such as autism.
Having insufficient sleep patterns can lead to mood change, behavior problems as well as difficulties with memory and concentration. This, accordingly, can negatively affect the child's learning abilities and academic performance.

TIPS TO ENHANCE REGULAR SLEEP PATTERN IN CHILDREN:

• Maintain a regular and consistent sleep schedule.
• Have a relaxing bedtime routine that ends in the room where the child sleeps, such as giving your child a warm bath or reading a story.
• A child should sleep in the same sleeping environment every night.
• Avoid getting into bed with a child in order to get him/her to sleep.
• Make the child's bedroom conducive to sleep, dark, cool and quiet.
• Keep TV and computers out of the bedroom.
• Make sure the temperature in the bedroom is comfortable and that the bedroom is dark.
• Make sure the noise level in the house is low.
• Avoid giving the child any food or drinks with caffeine less than six hours before bedtime.
• Avoid giving children large meals close to bedtime.
• Make after-dinner playtime a relaxing time as too much activity close to bedtime can keep children awake.
• There should be no television, computer, mobile phone, radio, or music playing while the child is going to sleep. TV and video games should be turned off at least one hour prior to bedtime.
• Infants and children should be put to bed when they appear tired but still awake (rather than falling asleep in their parent's arms, or in another room).