Every child is different when it comes to sleep patterns. Some sleep all night with no problems, others constantly wake up and cry for their parents. It can be a matter of trial and error to find the right technique or nightly ritual that will get your child to sleep through the night. There a many tips and tricks out there so here a few a which I thought might help you.

Children eventually learn to sleep on their own naturally. It’s not like you wake up crying for mommy now is it . What we’re trying to do here is speed up that natural process so nobody goes crazy from lack of sleep. The trick is to create the best environment possible for the little one.

Most people assume that the house needs to be totally quiet and to some degree this is correct but a newborn baby has been sleeping in a noisy womb for the past nine months. When the mother was out and about, socializing or shopping, all those noises were filtering through to the unborn child.

So, when putting your baby down to sleep try to get some ambient white noise around to make them feel comfortable. Of course, sudden loud noises will wake the baby so keep these to a minimum if possible. Background chatter and other soothing noises will help the baby go off to sleep.

There are some products that are designed to create a soothing audio environment which can be quite effective, audio CD’s being the most common method. It’s not necessary to do this as leaving the nursery door ajar will allow noises to filter in. If your baby falls asleep during company don’t put them in the quiet nursery straight away but leave them with you instead.

All you are doing here is teaching the baby to fall asleep naturally on their own. Humming can also help if they are awoken suddenly during the night by a loud noise. Having a humidifier or fan in the baby’s room help as well as they both these devices create white noise that the baby will find soothing.

Don’t over complicate things. Simply leave the door ajar or let your baby fall asleep in the company of others as, contrary to popular belief, getting your baby to sleep in a silent environment may be the most difficult option.

Mommy, I Can’t Sleep! Sleep Disturbance in Children
By Dr. Charles Sophy

“Just turn the lights off and go to sleep”

Do you find yourself saying this to your child? Well, you’re not alone!!

Sleep problems are some of the most common problems parents face with their children. Some parents struggle with getting their child to sleep through the night. New parents worry about how to help their child learn good sleep habits that last a lifetime. And still others wonder if their child’s sleep difficulties are chronic and are concerned that their child may be going through their days sleep-deprived.

Studies reveal that a significant number of children have some form of a sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbances among children and adolescents are common. Prolonged changes in sleep patterns, if left untreated, can result in significant emotional, behavioral, and cognitive impairment and can put your child at risk for poor school performance, accidents, and social or medical problems. The key is to identify changes in sleep, and to know when to seek assistance.

Sleep disturbance can take several forms including:

• difficulty falling asleep
• trouble staying asleep
• frequently awakening

There also are other variations of sleep issues known as parasomnias, e.g., night terrors or sleepwalking.

To alleviate your child’s sleep disturbance, try these simple steps:

• Keep bedtime at the same time each night: This helps your child establish a structure and enforces a predictable routine.

• Monitor unnecessary environmental stimuli: Minimize the light and noise in the child’s bedroom (music, lights)

• Encourage pre-bedtime relaxation: Children respond well to activities that allow them to wind down such as a warm bath, massage or aromatherapy

• Share some activity: Dedicate time to reading a bedtime story or talking about your child’s day and encouraging meditation and reflection

• Plan the transition: Ease the child into new processes by discussing changes and comforting their transition into healthy sleep habits

Sleep in its natural form is the only way our bodies can re-charge. Beyond resting, sleep serves many functions including memory preservation. If your child is not receiving the quality and quantity of sleep that is required (typically 8-12 hours each night is optimal), the toll can be enormous. Performance in school, interacting with others and activities of daily living may diminish in quality. The origins of a sleep disturbance may range from anxiety tied to emotional conflicts, such as fear of an upcoming test or excitement over a speaking part in the school play, to medical issues such as apnea. It is important that the underlying issue be addressed, no matter the source, to resolve the sleep disturbance and give your child their best shot at life.

Remember always to take into account where your child is in their developmental stage, because some sleep issues are age-appropriate. If you have exhausted the suggestions listed above, then possibly the need for professional intervention is warranted. You are the expert when it comes to your child and their sleep patterns. If you have a concern, trust your instinct and seek professional advice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Charles Sophy currently serves as Medical Director for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), which is responsible for the health, safety and welfare of nearly 40,000 foster children. He also has a private psychiatry practice in Beverly Hills, California. Dr. Sophy has lectured extensively and is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California Los Angeles Neuro-Psychiatric Institute. His lectures and teachings are consistently ranked as among the best by those in attendance.

Dr. Charles Sophy, author of the “Keep ‘Em Off My Couch” blog, provides real simple answers for solving life’s biggest problems. He specializes in improving the mental health of children. To contact Dr. Sophy, visit his blog at http://drsophy.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Charles_Sophy
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Sleep issues with a young family can be very disruptive to family life. Children can be difficult to get to sleep but sleep disorders among children are not much different to those that occur in adults. Sleeping problems amongst children is however, much more common. Here are some of the most common sleep problems that you may be faced with.

It’s sometimes hard to work out when you are having a sleep issue with your child because of all the different sleep patterns they have as they grow. It may not be considered odd for a 2 month old to wake up frequently during the night but the same pattern in a toddler would be considered unusual.  Parents also differ greatly in their views of what may be odd behaviour. Let’s have a look at some of the most common sleep problems.

The most common problem amongst children is bed wetting. Most people consider it a serious problem if it is happening with regularity and the child is rarely dry through the night. It can also be considered a problem if the child suddenly starts bed wetting if they have had years of continence. Children who are behind their age group at three are more likely to still be wetting the bed at age six. It shouldn’t be passed off as unpleasant toddler behavior or just that they are uncooperative.

To avoid these issues it is good practice to put a child in bed while they are still awake and let them go to sleep on their own with their own self comforting techniques.  By doing this they will learn to put themselves to sleep if they wake up during the night and will have no need to disturb the parents. Starting up potty training or other small milestones may cause sleep disturbances for a short while.

Most parents are eager to know when their small child is likely to start sleeping through the night. By putting children into bed while they are still awake you are conditioning your child and this will be a big help later on when potty training starts.