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NSF: Children & Sleep
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Children's sleep is very important. Lack of sleep can cause problems in school and problems with behavior. Sleep loss in children can also cause weight gain. Kids who have abnormal breathing at night can become tired or hyperactive. Clearly, sleep in children is important for normal development.
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How Much Sleep Does Your Child Need?
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Infants
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| 0 to 2 months |
10.5 to 18 hours |
| 2-12 months |
14 to 15 hours |
Toddlers/Children
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| 12-18 months |
13 to 16 hours |
| 18 months - 3 years |
12 to 14 hours |
| 3-5 years |
11 to 13 hours |
| 5-12 years |
9 to 11 hours |
Adolescents
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| 8.5 to 9.5 hours |
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Adults
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| 7 to 9 hours |
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Signs of chronic sleep deprivation are irritability, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, poor school performance, loss of short term memory or becoming overly aggressive. In fact, sleep deprivation is often misdiagnosed as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - National Sleep Foundation
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Sleep Tips for Preschoolers
Maintain a regular and consistent sleep schedule.
Have a relaxing bedtime routine that ends in the room where the child sleeps.
Child should sleep in the same sleeping environment every night, in a room that is cool, quiet and dark – and without a TV.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
www.sleepfoundation.org
Sleep Tips for School-aged Children
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Teach school-aged children about healthy sleep habits.
Continue to emphasize need for regular and consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine.
Make child's bedroom conducive to sleep – dark, cool and quiet.
Keep TV and computers out of the bedroom.
Avoid caffeine.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
www.sleepfoundation.org
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Children, Obesity and Sleep
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Some 13 percent of children
ages 6 to 11 and 14 percent of
adolescents ages 12 to 19 are
overweight. The ever-increasing
waistlines put children at
risk for heart disease, type 2
diabetes and high blood pressure.
But there is another
problem, often overlooked,
accompanying the grim statistics
from the U.S. Surgeon
General’s office. Those extra
pounds also put children at risk
for sleep apnea, a serious,
debilitating and potentially lifethreatening
sleep disorder,
according to the National
Sleep Foundation.
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BEARS Sleep Sceening Algorithm
The "BEARS" instrument is divided into five major sleep domains, providing a comprehensive scree for the major sleep disorders affecting children in the 2- to 18-year old range. Each sleep domain has a set of age-appropriate "trigger questions" for use in the clinical interview.
B = bedtime problems
E = excessive daytime sleepiness
A = awakenings during the night
R = regularity and duration of sleep
S = snoring
Examples of developmentally appropriate trigger questions:
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Toddler/preschool
(2-5 years) |
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School-aged
(6-12 years) |
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Adolescent
(13-18 years) |
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| 1. Bedtime problems |
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Does your child have any problems going to bed? Falling asleep? |
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Does your child have any problems at bedtime? (P) Do you have any problems going to bed? (C) |
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Do you have any problems falling asleep at bedtime? (C) |
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| 2. Excessive daytime sleepiness |
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Does your child seem overtired or sleepy a lot during the day? Does she still take naps? |
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Does your child have trouble waking in the morning, seem sleepy during the day or take naps? (P) Do you feel tired a lot? (C) |
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Do you feel sleepy a lot during the day? In school? While driving? (C) |
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| 3. Awakenings during the night |
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Does your child wake up a lot at night? |
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Does your chld seem to wake up a lot at night? Any sleepwalking or nightmares? (P) Do you wake up a lot at night? Have trouble getting back to sleep? (C) |
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Do you wake up a lot at night? Have trouble getting back to sleep? (C) |
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| 4. Regularity and duration of sleep |
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Does your child have a regular bedtime and wake time? What are they? |
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What times does your child go to bed and get up on school days? Weekends? Do you think he/she is getting enough sleep? (P) |
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What time do you usually go to bed on school nights? Weekends? How much sleep do you usually get? (C) |
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| 5. Snoring |
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Does your child snore a lot or have difficulty breathing at night? |
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Does your child have loud or nightly snoring or any breathing difficulties at night? (P) |
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Does your teenager snore loudly or nightly? (P) |
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(P) Parent-directed question
(C) Child-directed question
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