How much sleep should my child get?
Children ages 5 to 12 should sleep between 10 and 11 hours each night.
Sleep Tips for Your Children:
Routines are key! You child should go to sleep at the same time each evening. This will make it much easier for them to fall asleep. Avoid giving your child caffeine or high sugary foods such as candy a couple of hours before bedtime. Keep TVs and computers out of children’s bedroom to avoid sleep disruptions. Or have a rule that TV and computers must be kept off after a specified time.
Which sleep problems should I look for in my children?
Nightmares often occur at times of transition, stress or change in a child’s routine. They usually occur later in the night and are remembered the next day. Fortunately, nightmares tend to go away naturally. Encouraging your child to talk about the nightmare, discussing comforting images before bedtime and avoiding television immediately before bedtime are strategies that assist in alleviating nightmares.
Sleep Terrors/Sleep Walking occur most frequently from 4-8 years of age. These sleep disruptions occur during the early part of the night. The child is both asleep and awake at the same time and often has no memory of the event the next day. Waking or comforting the child usually doesn’t help as it prolongs the event. Be sure your child’s room and your house is safe. Most important, encourage him/her to get enough sleep.
Sleep Apnea is a serious disorder in which there are pauses in breathing during sleep. Children with sleep apnea may snore loudly, experience restless sleep and be sleepy during the day. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids, allergies, weight problems and other medical problems may contribute to sleep apnea. There are many ways to treat apnea, so it is important to see your doctor or visit a sleep center for a diagnosis and treatment.
Narcolepsy is often first noticed in puberty, but may occur as early as ten years of age. Children with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness and uncontrollable “sleep attacks,” even when they get enough sleep. Children with narcolepsy should be diagnosed by a doctor.
Studies show that 37 percent of children - kindergarten through fourth grade – suffer from at least one sleep-related problem. If your child experiences any of these sleep problems or is very sleepy during the day, be sure to consult your child’s physician.
Resources:
Sleepforkids.com