Common Toddler Sleep Problems And Effective Solutions For Tired Parents

Posted on Aug 06, 2007 | Comments 0

As your baby becomes a toddler, their sleep timings will change.

Toddler sleeps less during the day, but sleeps about 11 or more hours at night.

You’ll be transitioning your toddler to fewer naps and even a cranky tired baby can have difficulty getting to sleep.

Up to 20 percent of children may have sleep disorder. The most common problem is difficulty falling asleep.

Lack of routine and bed time rituals
Childhood depression, anxiety or trauma
Intestinal worms
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome symptoms include, snoring, difficulty in breathing or mouth breathing during sleep. It affects 1-3 percent of the children. The main causes of sleep apnea are obesity and neuromuscular disease.
Narcolepsy – this toddler sleep disorder have a great difficulty in getting up in the mornings. When awaken the child may appear to be mystified or may be destructive or verbally abusive.
Bed wetting is one of the most prevalent toddler sleep problem. It is a hereditary disorder.
Night terrors- occur approximately 90 minutes into sleep. The child suddenly sits upright and screams and is devastated for up to 30 minutes and falling back to sleep.
Sleepwalking and sleep talking. In this stage a child sits up in bed with eyes open but is unseeing.
Some of the toddler sleep disturbances are night awakenings and bedtime resistance.
Snoring, noisy breathing, coughing during night and sweating during night are the common toddler sleep problems.

Develop a steady night time routine with supper, bath and a bed time story every night.
By following a nightly bedtime ritual, he knows that what is expected of him and what to expect at night.
Some children go to sleep more easily with white noise from a fan or sound machine. Baby music helps to calm your baby.
Massaging your toddler for 15 minutes before bed time makes your toddler to sleep.
Create calm, soothe, secure and pleasant sleep environment for toddler sleep.
Maintain the room temperature between 60 and 65.
Turn off the lights in your bedroom.
Gently rock your baby to sleep. The motion of rocking chair or being carried in a sling will lull baby to sleep.
Offer your child a cup of warm milk before going to bed. This may help him get to sleep.
Leave the door open for a toddler to feel secure.
If your child will go to bed only if you are around, then teach him how to soothe himself to sleep.