My baby was exposed to opioids. How will he sleep? It is very common for newborns with prenatal opioid exposure to have sleep difficulties. A baby with “prenatal opioid exposure” is one who has been exposed to opioids while his biological mother was still pregnant. Sleeping for short amounts of [...]
My oldest child has narcolepsy. Do I need to be worried that my toddler will have it too? First degree relatives of people who have narcolepsy only have a 1-2% risk of developing narcolepsy. A first degree relative is a person’s child, sibling (brother or sister), or parent. In addition, familial [...]
My toddler has epilepsy, what are some things to consider about her sleep? Sleep deprivation can cause an increase in seizures. So, ensuring that your child gets enough sleep (for her age) is vital. Also, many sleep disorders disrupt sleep and can lead to sleep deprivation. Therefore, it is [...]
Is it normal for my baby to sleep with his eyes open? Most babies close their eyes when they are asleep. This stops light from stimulating the brain and keeps the eyes moist during sleep. A small minority of babies sleep with their eyelids partly open. This has a medical name: physiological [...]
My baby was born prematurely. How will that affect her sleep? Generally speaking, the more premature your baby is (the earlier she was born before her due date), the higher her risk will be for sleep problems. Your preemie (baby born prematurely, or preterm infant) probably will not start sleeping [...]
Are snoring and pauses in breathing normal for some babies and toddlers? What should I do if I see my child snore and have pauses in breathing during the night? Snoring occurs in 10-14% of children. About 1/3 of children who snore might have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where there is disrupted [...]
What should I do if my child snores and chokes while he’s sleeping? Choking can actually be the result of snoring which, in turn, can be due to what is termed obstructive sleep apnea. In children, this is usually due to complete or partial blockage of the upper airway (throat area and the [...]
How can I tell if my toddler has obstructive sleep apnea? Toddlers tend to have large tonsils and adenoids, which can cause a partial or complete blockage in the upper airway (throat and back of the nose area), thereby blocking air flow and causing a snoring sound. If your toddler snores on most or [...]
What is obstructive sleep apnea? The word “apnea” just means cessation of breathing or pauses in breathing. Short pauses in breathing are normal, particularly in infants and especially during dream sleep (Rapid Eye Movement, or REM sleep). However, if your baby has pauses in breathing [...]
My baby has a feeding tube. What can I do to help her sleep? Babies with special feeding situations such as g-tubes or g-j tubes should be able to sleep just fine, though there are a few things to consider. First, talk with your child’s health care provider about any concerns you may have. They [...]