Tackling Your Child’s Sleep Problems
As parents, we can become very confused when we realize that something is wrong with our child and his/her sleeping habits. We can become quite desperate as to how to handle these episodes and may need additional outside support.
Whether your child’s sleep problem is nightmares or wetting the bed, your child is at the forefront of your mind. When your baby wakes up with a blood-curdling scream in the middle of the night, it’s frightening. More frightening is a baby who will not be calmed with a touch, a bottle, or a new diaper. You’ll wonder what is hurting your child or if he has mild (or severe) discomfort of some kind.
Some children wake in the middle of the night and bang their heads against the rails of the crib. Your child’s sleep problems are not at always apparent, and it is not your fault that you can’t figure out what is wrong. Some children sleep all night, others cry all night. A big myth is that a child will cry if left unattended—but will eventually fall asleep.
This is, however, not true of a child whose body cycle does not cause him to become sleepy. If your child is crying at the same intensity all night, he’s not looking for attention—he is indicating that something is wrong; it’s time to ask your doctor about your child’s sleep problem. Look for signs of sleepwalking or banging of his head. Think back—does he eat on a regular schedule, or do you have to feed him to create a schedule?
Children who do not eat or become hungry on a regular schedule may be indicating their lack of a cyclic metabolism. These infants and children are prone to migraines, which can occur when a child is hungry. This is not to imply that the child is neglected or unfed. It is more indicative of a situation where the child does not complain of being hungry, so a bottle or feeding isn’t given. If the child goes to bed without eating on a regular schedule, he might sleep himself right into a migraine that will appear if his body decides he’s hungry, or if his blood sugars are low.
Do not rule out migraine headaches or hunger pangs in the middle of the night. Your child could be waking because he/she is hungry and wants more food. Make sure you visit your GP if your child is suffering from headaches during the night. This could explain the reason for your childs sleeping problems.