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 [...]
How can I tell if my toddler is sleeping too much? Most toddlers will require between 11-14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, including nighttime sleep and daytime naps. If your toddler seems to be sleeping more than this, he may be sleeping too much – and there can be several possible reasons [...]
My baby was diagnosed with Pierre Robin sequence. How will this affect his sleep? Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) affects the formation of the jaw, palate, and upper airway, and babies with PRS are at very high risk of having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Because of this, your child’s health care [...]
What is melatonin and when does a baby’s brain start producing it? Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland portion of our brains. It helps to regulate our 24-hour sleep-wake cycles, and can be thought of as one of the ‘oils’ that helps the gears of our internal body ‘clock’ [...]
When will my preemie sleep through the night? In the first couple months, all newborns will sleep for about-equal amounts of time during the day and during the night, and each of their sleeping periods may be pretty short – even just minutes at a time. Babies start getting the bulk of their sleep [...]