How to Prevent Your Child from Developing a Sleep Disorder

Have you ever found yourself putting your head down and drowsing off to sleep for a few seconds even before your toddler is asleep? Well, youre not the only one. Research shows that as many as 30% of parents have children who have a sleep disorder at some point of time in their childhood and the impact on children and families can be enormous.

Sleep disorders are common among infants, toddlers, teenagers and adults. However, the treatment given to toddlers is very different from the treatment given to teenagers or adults.

Parents can prevent sleep disorders by setting a simple sleep routine. For example, a bedtime routine may involve a warm shower, a snack, brushing teeth, a bed time story before bed and a snuggle. You need to develop a routine that is simple and that works for everyone in the family and make sure you are consistent.

Also create a calm and soothing sleep environment. Provide your toddler with a favorite toy or blanket or other attachment object that helps him sleep. Children should have fixed bedtime and awakening times. This will lead to a healthy sleep cycle.

A toddler who falls asleep accompanied with some sort of parental behavior such as rocking or singing will find it difficult to go back to sleep when he or she wakes up alone in the middle of the night. So consider discontinuing rocking or singing your child to sleep. Most toddlers will learn to settle themselves back to sleep without your involvement.

Avoid giving your toddler any caffeine drinks or chocolates; no toddler should have "a taste" of any type of beverage that contains caffeine, whether that be tea, coffee or sodas such as Pepsi and Coca Cola.

Remove most toys, games, televisions, computers and radios if your child is having trouble falling asleep or is frequently up at night. These items can be powerful cues for wakefulness.

Do not allow your child to play on the bed. The longer the child spends in bed awake, the less appealing sleep becomes. Children should be taught that a bed is where lovely dreams will visit them.

Prevention is better than cure states a famous proverb. Use the methods mentioned above to prevent sleep disorders in your child. However, if your child does not seem to improve, it would be wise to seek professional help. Chronic sleep disorders do exist. Make sure that your child is given the appropriate treatment if he or she is found suffering from a sleep disorder.

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