solve your childs sleep problem
Finding Help to Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems
Remy JirekAs a parent, you may be seeking a way to solve your child's sleep problem, not only for their comfort but for yours as well. It's frustrating not knowing how to help your child get the rest that they need to grow and thrive and consequently, your anxiety may cause you to lose sleep also. Your child may bang their head against the headboard, making you afraid that they may injure themselves. The best thing to do is to seek the advice of a physician who can treat the cause and allow both of you to get some sleep.
Baffling Behavior
Many parents, whether or not they've had other children, can be baffled when they realize something is wrong with their child. There are feelings of frustration and despair, as well as deep concern and inconsistency with how to handle the their child's sleep problems.
Whether your child's sleep problem is nightmares or wetting the bed, your child is at the forefront of your mind. When your baby wakes up with a blood-curdling scream in the middle of the night, it's frightening. More frightening is a baby who will not be calmed with a touch, a bottle, or a new diaper. You'll wonder what is hurting your child or if he has mild (or severe) discomfort of some kind.
Some children wake in the middle of the night and bang their heads against the rails of the crib. Your child's sleep problems are not always apparent, and it is not your fault that you can't figure out what is wrong. Some children sleep all night, others cry all night. A big myth is that a child will cry if left unattended but will eventually fall asleep.
This is, however, not true of a child whose body cycle does not cause him to become sleepy. If your child is crying at the same intensity all night, he's not looking for attention-he is indicating that something is wrong; it's time to ask your doctor about your child's sleep problem. Look for signs of sleepwalking or banging of his head. Think back-does he eat on a regular schedule, or do you have to feed him to create a schedule?
Children who do not eat or become hungry on a regular schedule may be indicating their lack of a cyclic metabolism. These infants and children are prone to migraines, which can occur when a child is hungry. This is not to imply that the child is neglected or unfed. It is more indicative of a situation where the child does not complain of being hungry, so a bottle or feeding isn't given. If the child goes to bed without eating on a regular schedule, he might sleep himself right into a migraine that will appear if his body decides he's hungry, or if his blood sugars are low.
Don't assume that a migraine headache is impossible in an infant, or that a child would obviously wake up and cry if hungry. If you've worked for years to determine what is wrong with your child, one night he may come to you holding his head-it is only then that you as an unsuspecting parent might think to investigate headaches as an option to explain your child's sleep problem.
Many parents, whether or not they've had other children, can be baffled when they realize something is wrong with their child. There are feelings of frustration and despair, as well as deep concern and inconsistency with how to handle the their child's sleep problems.
Whether your child's sleep problem is nightmares or wetting the bed, your child is at the forefront of your mind. When your baby wakes up with a blood-curdling scream in the middle of the night, it's frightening. More frightening is a baby who will not be calmed with a touch, a bottle, or a new diaper. You'll wonder what is hurting your child or if he has mild (or severe) discomfort of some kind.
Some children wake in the middle of the night and bang their heads against the rails of the crib. Your child's sleep problems are not always apparent, and it is not your fault that you can't figure out what is wrong. Some children sleep all night, others cry all night. A big myth is that a child will cry if left unattended but will eventually fall asleep.
This is, however, not true of a child whose body cycle does not cause him to become sleepy. If your child is crying at the same intensity all night, he's not looking for attention-he is indicating that something is wrong; it's time to ask your doctor about your child's sleep problem. Look for signs of sleepwalking or banging of his head. Think back-does he eat on a regular schedule, or do you have to feed him to create a schedule?
Children who do not eat or become hungry on a regular schedule may be indicating their lack of a cyclic metabolism. These infants and children are prone to migraines, which can occur when a child is hungry. This is not to imply that the child is neglected or unfed. It is more indicative of a situation where the child does not complain of being hungry, so a bottle or feeding isn't given. If the child goes to bed without eating on a regular schedule, he might sleep himself right into a migraine that will appear if his body decides he's hungry, or if his blood sugars are low.
Don't assume that a migraine headache is impossible in an infant, or that a child would obviously wake up and cry if hungry. If you've worked for years to determine what is wrong with your child, one night he may come to you holding his head-it is only then that you as an unsuspecting parent might think to investigate headaches as an option to explain your child's sleep problem.