Staying on Top of Sleep Problems in Children

When we hear of common problems with sleeping, rarely do we think of sleep problems in children. Affecting any child, sleep crying and waking can unpredictably strike at any age - at any time. So the most important thing to do when children are diagnosed with a sleep disorder is (as parents) to stay on top of it.

In my situation, I couldn't understand why my own child was tired in the daytime. We put him to bed at 8:30 every night, believing that an early bedtime would ensure a full night's rest. But we had no idea he had a child sleep problem and was actually losing sleep because of breathing problems. It was only until we discussed his sleepiness through the daytime with our friends, family, and physician, that we learned he might have suffered from a common sleeping disorder. Lo and behold, we discovered that our child's young cousin suffered from the same - and her parents told us that their daughter would suffer from frequent waking and crying caused by a sleeping disorder.

Working with the advice from our family, and our doctor, we learned that this is actually a common problem among children, and that night crying and waking are just a couple of the consistent symptoms of a sleep disorder. But we've been able to reduce it by becoming a stickler to routine, reducing stress in the family, and ensuring that night time is a pleasant time. It has been a few weeks and already we've noticed a significant difference. Our child is wide awake and active throughout the day - thanks to enforcing a consistent routine, making a few behavior changes, and of course, getting a full night's rest.