My toddler has a lot of trouble separating from me at bedtime and during the day. What can I do to help him sleep better? Separation distress usually emerges around 6 months when infants develop a strong attachment to their primary caregivers. It typically peaks between 18 and 24 months, but can [...]
How can my (mom’s) stress and mood affect my baby’s sleep? Can my sleep problems (or my infant sleep problems) sometimes affect our bonding? Emotional distress (such as anxiety, stress, and depression) in moms is significantly associated with disrupted sleep in infants. Studies have shown that [...]
What are nighttime fears? How is that different from something like an anxiety disorder? How can I respond to nighttime fears? Nighttime fears involve any fears that are associated with being in the dark and/or alone at bedtime or during the night. The most common nighttime fears are fear of being [...]
What is the Huggy Puppy? How can it help children who are afraid at night or who are having trouble sleeping because they were exposed to trauma? The Huggy Puppy intervention (HPI) was developed by Professor Avi Sadeh as a brief intervention to help young children cope with severe stress [...]
I have young foster children in the home who have been maltreated in the past. How might that affect their sleep? The scientific literature suggests that children who have been maltreated are at risk of long term sleep difficulties, such as difficulty sleeping and experiencing nightmares. Of [...]
Even though he is young I think my child is anxious. Will that affect his sleep? Beyond typical nighttime fears, anxiety can start early in life, so it is indeed possible that your child is suffering from anxiety and I would suggest contacting a health care provider to discuss your concerns [...]
My child has autism. What can I expect about her sleep? Children with autism and autism spectrum disorders often experience sleep difficulties. These can include difficulties falling asleep, maintaining sleep and experiencing short sleep duration. As with other disorders, the reasons for the [...]