Is Your Have Sleep Problem Or Is It A Sleep Disorder?

One question that parents need to ask themselves when faced with a baby who is not sleeping well is whether the problem is a behavioural problem or an indication of a more serious sleep disorder that has an underlying physiological basis.

The likelihood is that it is simply a sleep problem that can be managed behaviourally. In rare cases, though, an underlying sleep disorder may be the cause of your child's not sleeping through the night. But even if there is an underlying sleep disrupter, there is often an additional behavioural component.

For example, if your child is waking at night because of sleep apnea, she should still be able to put herself back to sleep with no help from you. If she needs you in the middle of the night, she probably also has a sleep problem in addition to the sleep disorder of sleep apnea.

Is It An Environmental Problem?

Another factor that you should consider is whether your child's sleep problems are caused by something in your child's environment. Is your child too cold or too hot during the night? Are loud noises disturbing your child's sleep? Are there spooky shadows on the wall caused by the night-light? Try to change things in your child's bedroom environment that may be causing her problems sleeping. Add room darkening shades to keep out the morning light. Run a fan or a noise machine to mask household and family noises. If the sleep problems persist, then it is time to look into alternative explanations, namely behavioural issues.

Does Your Child Have A Sleep Disorder?

How do you know if your child has a sleep disorder? The following list of sleep problems may indicate that your child has a sleep disorder:

	Loud snoring, noisy breathing, or breathing pauses while sleeping.
	Breathing through his mouth while sleeping.
	Appearing confused or looking terrified when he awakens
	Frequent sleepwalking.
	Rocking to sleep or head banging when failing asleep or during the night.
	Complaining of leg pains, “growing pains”, or restless legs when trying to fall asleep or during the night. Kicking his legs in a rhythmic fashion while sleeping.
	Sleeping restlessly.
	Frequent difficulty failing asleep or staying asleep.
	Difficulty waking up in the morning or daytime sleepiness.
	Sleep difficulties leading to daytime behaviour problems or irritability.

If your child experiences any of the above, be sure to read about my ebook described in chapter 6, 7 and 8. If your child seems to have symptoms of any of these sleep disorders, be sure to discuss the problem with your pediatrician.

Is It An Environmental Problem?

Another factor that you should consider is whether your child's sleep problems are caused by something in your child's environment. Is your child too cold or too hot during the night? Are loud noises disturbing your child's sleep? Are there spooky shadows on the wall caused by the night light? Try to change things in your child's bedroom environment that may be causing her problems sleeping. Add room-darkening shades to keep out the morning light. Run a fan or a noise machine to mask household and family noises. If the sleep problems persist, then it is time to look into alternative explanations, namely behavioural issues.

Is It A Medical Problem?

A final factor that you should consider is whether your child's sleep problems are related to a medical problem. The most common medical problem that can disrupt sleep in young children is reflux. Other medical problems include pain as the result of ear infections or teething, as well as asthma or allergies. Consult your child's doctor to be sure that there are no medical problems that are disrupting your child's sleep.

Sleep Problem Persist

You will often hear "Oh, it is just a stage" or "He'll grow out of it," but this is usually not true for sleep problems. Babies and young children simply do not grow out of most sleep problems. Several studies have found that babies who don't sleep become toddlers who don't sleep and then young children who don't sleep.

One study found that 84 percent of children who had sleep problems at a young age continued to have problems three years later. Not only do sleep problems continue, they seem to be one of the most persistent behavioural problems. Studies that looked at many different behavioural problems found that sleep issues were much more likely to persist than other issues, such as temper tantrums or problems with eating. This means that you should not ignore your child's sleep problem.

Do something about it now rather than having to deal with it later. It is much easier to deal with sleep problems when your child is an infant and in a crib than later when she is big enough to climb out of a crib or is in a bed. The younger your child is, the easier it will be to teach her to sleep through the night, because the bad sleep habits are less ingrained. But if your child is a bit older, do not despair. It is never too late; it may just take a bit more effort.

The Benefits of Sleeping Through The Night

Babies who sleep through the night are better rested, happier, and less cranky during the day than babies who don't sleep. Just as you feel terrible the next day after waking several times during the night, so does your baby. There aren't any definitive studies that support these conclusions, but many parents comment on the changes they see when their baby begins to sleep through the night.

Sleeping through the night also helps families. Many studies have observed the negative impact of children's sleep problems on families and the subsequent improvements after the baby is sleeping through the night. More than one marriage has been saved with the onset of a sleeping baby.

Parents feel better about themselves as parents and are able to function better once the baby is sleeping. In addition, parents enjoy their children more. After a night of pleading, arguing, and power struggles to get your child to sleep, it is difficult to be enthusiastic about seeing your child in the morning. Happier and better parents make for happier babies.