Who should I listen to about my baby’s sleep? It’s so tough to sift through the many opinions and pieces of advice about baby sleep—especially if you add in all the information that parents get through social media, parenting websites, and other online platforms. Many families [...]
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 [...]
Why is my baby very restless when he sleeps? All children have natural brief awakenings in the night as they journey through sleep. If you are watching your baby sleep, you may notice him change position – if he is old enough he may sit up, rub his eyes, and then settle down again. This happens [...]
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 is developing a flat spot from always sleeping on his back. What can I do? If you are concerned that your baby is developing a flat spot as a result of always sleeping on her back, you can reposition or reorient your baby to more evenly distribute your baby’s head weight helping to [...]
What is narcolepsy, and when does it develop? Do I have to be concerned about my toddler? Narcolepsy is a rare, chronic neurologic disorder that causes people to have excessive sleepiness during the daytime even though they are getting plenty of sleep at night. People with narcolepsy often describe [...]
I have narcolepsy. Do I need to worry about my baby having it too? Narcolepsy can certainly run in families, but this is actually more the exception rather than the rule. Fewer than 5% of people with narcolepsy will have a first-degree relative (parent, child, or sibling) who also has narcolepsy. [...]
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 [...]