Sleep problems in children
goodtoknow says: Night waking is extremely common in young children. Around 50 per cent of them do it, even if they used to sleep soundly as babies. Nightmares and night terrors could be to blame if your child wakes and is very upset. Night terrors are not the same as nightmares. They can look alarming but are harmless. Your child may thrash around, scream, cry and be very difficult to console. Night terrors typically start in children under 10 and can run in families. See your GP if they happen regularly. For other sleep problems a good bedtime routine usually works wonders, providing you stick to it.
For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of sleep problems in children from patient.co.uk, read on.
Don't worry if your child doesn't like going to bed or never sleeps through the night, you are not alone. Around 25 per cent of all young children have severe sleep problems and it's unlikely there's anything seriously wrong with any of them! But there's also plenty you can do to improve it.
How much sleep should they get?
As a rough guide most experts agree to the following as a daily guideline
12 months old = 13.75 hours sleep
18 months old = 13.5 hours sleep
2 years old = 13 hours sleep
3 years old = 12 hours sleep
4 years old = 11.5 hours sleep
- Why is my child not sleeping?
More on sleeping problems in kids
- Sleep strategies that work
- Baby sleep solutions
- Foods to help you sleep
- The sleep rules - are you obeying them?
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Kenneth tweedle, about 1 year
i have a 4yr old daughter as a baby she suffered severely with ear infections before she was 2yrs old she had grommets fitted they cured her problem of ear infections and sleepless nights the grommets fell out after about 6months and she as been great until about 10 weeks ago and she is now constantly waking up through the night about 6 times a night just wide awake wanting to get up and go down stairs saying she is not tired and doesn't need any sleep she goes to bed between 7-8pm gets up anytime between 5-6.30am she as no problem going to bed but we are in and out of bed trying to get her to have a full night sleep in the daytime she is still full of energy and before you suggest her eating habits we make sure she eats a healthy diet e.g fruit/veg daily.
Report this commentANGELA KELLY, over 2 years
my 4 year old son really had night terrors he would wake up every night just screaming out and kicking,I brought him a dream catcher and told him that if ever a bad dream came into his room the catcher would get it before him.and for 2 weeks now nothing if he wakes up noe he just gos back of to sleep he even tells me now about his dreams
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Mrs J Lawence, 9 months
My Grandchildrn, age nearly 6 and 2yrs 4months, brother and sister, not only wake up but are up, full of life and wanting to play, my daughters attempts to get a good nights sleep are useless. I am worried she will be ill, Notihng seems to work to get them to sleep alnight. Her doctor says he cannot help as it is against the law to prescribe for them. Calpol doesn't work it makes them worse.
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