The entire world is facing the same pandemic crisis. It is a time of fear, anxiety, and feeling unsettled. We all have little control over what is happening, although we all can engage in social distancing, washing hands, and following other safety guidelines and community rules. Getting enough sleep can also make a difference to our overall health and to our ability to cope with difficult times. Helping little ones to sleep well will also help them, as well as the entire family.
When one routine ends, you’re faced with starting another. Life right now can feel like total chaos. In many places around the world, parents are home from work (or newly working from home) and children home from school or daycare to support the health and well-being of our communities. Maybe you still need to go to work but your children’s routines have been completely upended. As you well know, these changes in routine can trigger disruption in everyone’s behavior.
Unfortunately, as much as you want to protect your loved ones from the world around them, there are many things you simply cannot control as a caregiver. However, there are some things you can try to control to the best of your ability. Here are a few answers to some questions that have come up for us as health care providers and educators, as well as from friends and family members, during the pandemic.
For more medical information about children and COVID-19, please follow these links to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Johns Hopkins Medicine.
For more information from the Pediatric Sleep Council, see below.