What is “camping out” in sleep training? As babies grow up, parents often wonder how to help them learn to fall asleep independently. One method, known as “camping out,” is a gradual approach to helping your baby learn to fall asleep independently. This is a great method to consider [...]
How do I get the television (and other electronics!) out of my child’s room without causing a week-long meltdown? In general, toddlers who have electronics in their room and use them right before bedtime get less sleep and have more sleep problems than ones who don’t. It may appear that the [...]
My child has Down syndrome. What should I know about his sleep? For all children, whether or not they have Down syndrome, falling asleep at the beginning of the night, and falling back to sleep after natural night-time waking, is something they have to learn how to do. For some children this comes [...]
My child has developmental delays. What should I know about her sleep? Children with developmental delay take longer to reach their milestones than others of the same age. They may be late to use the potty or may still have tantrums long after their peers. In just the same way, they can take longer [...]
What is Ferber sleep training? The Ferber method is a type of modified (or graduated) extinction approach to sleep training. In the case of bedtime, extinction (unmodified) is simply a fancy way of saying “ignoring a specific behavior (like crying) until it stops.” It does not mean ignoring [...]
Should I use music to help my baby get to sleep? Music can be a nice addition to the bedtime routine, especially if it seems to help your little one relax. You can play any type of music that your baby seems to enjoy; there is not a great deal of evidence to suggest that one type of music or sound [...]
Is it safe to use herbs or medications to help my child sleep? There are many different types of herbs and medications that are supposed to help children get to sleep but few have any good rigorous scientific data to support these claims and some may cause harm. In general, avoid using herbs or [...]
Is it okay to give my toddler (12 months to 36 months) melatonin? We do not recommend giving melatonin to toddlers and there is little rigorous evidence that it helps children this young. Most toddlers who cannot get to sleep at the start of the night (the time when melatonin has the best effect), [...]
How can caffeine affect my toddler’s sleep? Caffeine is a natural stimulant so it can keep all of us awake. If your toddler has caffeine through drink (such as iced tea or soda) or food, it can stop him from getting to [...]
My child has ADHD. What are some strategies I can use to make sure he gets the best sleep possible. Sleep problems – such as coming in and out of the room at the start of the night or wanting mom or dad next to them as they fall asleep at the start of the night – are very common in children [...]