PEDIATRIC
My Child Can’t Sleep How to manage pediatric insomnia. By Rosei Skipper, MD
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udith A. Owens, MD, MPH, is an internationally recognized authority on pediatric sleep and the author of numerous original research and review articles in peer-review journals on the topic. Her particular research interest is in the neurobehavioral and health consequences of sleep problems in children, and what to do about them. Every parent knows the struggle of getting kids to sleep–the sheer number of books on the subject is evidence for how tough it can be! While some kids are easy sleepers, many little ones struggle with getting or staying asleep, which can be incredibly challenging for parents. “NORMAL” SLEEP Just like adults, kids vary when it comes to sleep patterns— and sleep needs change as children grow. In general, Dr. Owens says that most babies over the age of six months can get through the night without needing to be fed, and kids aged 12 months and older can definitely go overnight without needing to eat. Some children are more naturally morning larks, while others burn the midnight oil. WHEN KIDS CAN’T OR WON’T SLEEP According to Dr. Owens, behavioral insomnia of childhood falls into two categories: sleep onset type and limit-setting type. Children with the first type have “learned to fall asleep requiring a parental intervention,” explains Dr. Owens. That could mean needing a parent to fall asleep with them, needing to sleep in a parent's bed, or needing to fall asleep while feeding. While there is nothing wrong with snuggling your little one while they get drowsy, this can become problematic if your child is unable to get to sleep without your help. This becomes especially challenging when kids need help getting back to sleep after waking up in the night. All humans wake up periodically during normal sleep, but if your child requires parental help multiple times per night, chances are the whole household won’t be getting as much rest as they need. 8 | July/August 2021
