Sleep affects
your child’s development in many important ways, including mental and social
development, physical health, and emotional regulation. When a child has
trouble sleeping, it limits their ability to function well during the day,
disrupts the household, and is a source of stress for parents and other family
members.
Sleep problems in children are common. Some problems are brief and resolve on their own. When
sleep problems persist for more than a few weeks, they may begin to affect a
child’s mood, behavior, and relationships in the home and at school.
·
Common
behavioral sleep problems found in children include:
·
Bedtime
resistance or refusal
·
“Musical
beds” or difficulty sleeping alone
·
Sleep
schedule problems
·
Poor
sleep habits and routines
·
Nighttime
awakenings
·
Nighttime
fears and nightmares
·
Bedwetting
·
Sleep
walking / Sleep talking
Below is the
list of queries to decide your Child Need a Sleep Evaluation or not.
·
Does
your child have problems going to bed?
·
Does
your child have problems falling asleep?
·
Does
your child seem overtired or sleepy throughout the day?
·
Does
your child have difficulty waking in the morning?
·
Does
your teenager feel sleepy while driving?
·
Does
your child experience awakenings throughout the night?
·
Does
your child have trouble getting back to sleep?
·
Does
your child experience sleep walking or night terrors?
·
Does
your child wet their bed? (girls 5+ and boys 6+)
·
Does
your child have an irregular sleep and wake time during weekdays and weekends?
·
Do
you think that your child is not getting enough sleep?
·
Does
your child snore more than two nights a week?
·
Does
your child have difficulty breathing at night?
If you have
answered “yes” to any of the above questions, there is a need to consider a
sleep evaluation!