Sleep Issues And Behavior Problems

[Country Kids]

On the news tonight there was a report of now children that have sleeping issues as babies and up will more then likely have behavior problems as they get older! There was a study done with infants as young as 6 months and they suffered from sleep apnea. I've personally always wondered if that wasn't really what sids was but figured if it was wouldn't the doctors have figured it out. Anyway for the infants that had this there was signifigant issues in behaviors as young children. Most of these kids I guess never could get a good nights sleep because of this.

Any thoughts?

[countrymom]

it does makes sense, we see it all the time, kids who dont' get enough sleep are like bears, mean and grouchy.

[Blackcat31]

You aren't too far off..... I did an indepth book report on sleep issues and this book pretty much sums it all up! GREAT read and I highly recommend it to anyone who deals with kids.

The author basically ties 99% of behavioral issues back to sleep and the depth, length and type of sleep kids get.

http://www.parentchildhelp.com/SleeplessinAmerica/tabid/55/Default.aspx

[Mary Poppins]

I have a 2.5 dcg with obvious sleep issues. She is exhausted when she arrives in the morning and doesn't have the energy to participate most of the day. She is always cranky it seems and has lots of behavioral issues. When she naps in the pm, she usually sleeps for 1.5 - 2 hrs but it still doesn't seem to be enough. I've thought of putting her down for a nap right away in the mornings but it would disrupt my entire program because she doesn't go down easily.

Dcm often comments that she didn't sleep well the night before or like this morning that she was awake at 5 am but when I brought the subject of this book up she acted as if there isn't a problem and played it down.

I feel like my hands are tied and it's very frustrating!

[renodeb]

Makes since to me. I have a theory about sleep/kids in the USA. I think a lot of these "sleep" problems with kids start when parents dont teach there kids from a very young age how to fall asleep on there own (self soothe), and dont put there kids down at a decent hour for whatever reason, or they figure the child will sleep better in bed with them (I know, I know). Bedtime should be determined by the adult, not the child. Children do not know what is best for them.
I have a dcb who is allowed to rule the roost at home. Sometimes he gets up at 3am or 4am and walks into my house looking like a zombie. In my head Im thinking "why not put him back to bed". He is a little monster with out enough sleep. The baby sister slept in a bassinet in the parents room until she was 7 mos b/c mom didnt want to have to go into her room if she woke at night.
This same boy has a TV/DVD in his room and the mom has caught him up at all hours of the night watching tv. No wonder he never sleeps.
Parents are doing what is easiest for them and not thinking about whats best for the child.
But I digress, I totally think that makes since. Sleep in connected to so much of a persons being. Esp, a child's. I think american kids are generally underrested as a society.
Debbie

[Soupyszoo]

Makes since to me. I have a theory about sleep/kids in the USA. I think a lot of these "sleep" problems with kids start when parents dont teach there kids from a very young age how to fall asleep on there own (self soothe), and dont put there kids down at a decent hour for whatever reason, or they figure the child will sleep better in bed with them (I know, I know). Bedtime should be determined by the adult, not the child. Children do not know what is best for them.
I have a dcb who is allowed to rule the roost at home. Sometimes he gets up at 3am or 4am and walks into my house looking like a zombie. In my head Im thinking "why not put him back to bed". He is a little monster with out enough sleep. The baby sister slept in a bassinet in the parents room until she was 7 mos b/c mom didnt want to have to go into her room if she woke at night.
This same boy has a TV/DVD in his room and the mom has caught him up at all hours of the night watching tv. No wonder he never sleeps.
Parents are doing what is easiest for them and not thinking about whats best for the child.
But I digress, I totally think that makes since. Sleep in connected to so much of a persons being. Esp, a child's. I think american kids are generally underrested as a society.
Debbie

I know what I'm about to say will probably really upset some people.... But I agree with you. It seems parents have become all about what is easiest and not what is best for their kids. Cosleeping and attachment parenting is not giving these kids what they need to survive on their own some day, say at DAYCARE 50-60 hours a week for example! You can tell me all you want that it gives them confidence and a feeling of not being abandoned and so on... But what about setting boundaries making rules and following through with consequences?! The parents should be able to say... "My 2 yo needs this much sleep... I need to put them to bed at this hour because we wake at this hour..." even if it's 6pm!!

I have a dcb 1.5yo with the same problem. Runs the roost at home. No rules no boundaries, sleeps when and where he wants and comes to me comatose every morning. He's behind developmentally and I truly believe its because he doesn't get enough sleep.

Sorry for the rant, but it seems so simple, but yet a lot of parents don't want to put in the effort or consistency to fix the problem

[MrsB]

I think we are on to something here. One, my DS who has ADHD and PDD-NOS has major sleep issues. One because his medicine keeps him awake. We use melatonin and benedryl to help him fall asleep, but if he has a night where he doesnt get much sleep. He is a NIGHTMARE and all of his normal issues are exacerbated.

2nd I have always wondered if kids sleeping problems have something to do with quality family time. The only reason I bring this up is because when both my husband and I were working outside the home 40+ hours a week, my kids sleeping issues were worse. I think it is because family time didnt start until 6pm at night. That meant only 2 hours until they were in bed. They had a harder time falling asleep on the week days because their family needs were not being "met". On the weekends they didnt have the falling asleep issues, even with the same wake up and bed times.

This is a large reason why I decided to go back to daycare. I am not saying this is the case for every family but certainly seemed to have an impact on our family.

[Soupyszoo]

I think we are on to something here. One, my DS who has ADHD and PDD-NOS has major sleep issues. One because his medicine keeps him awake. We use melatonin and benedryl to help him fall asleep, but if he has a night where he doesnt get much sleep. He is a NIGHTMARE and all of his normal issues are exacerbated.

2nd I have always wondered if kids sleeping problems have something to do with quality family time. The only reason I bring this up is because when both my husband and I were working outside the home 40+ hours a week, my kids sleeping issues were worse. I think it is because family time didnt start until 6pm at night. That meant only 2 hours until they were in bed. They had a harder time falling asleep on the week days because their family needs were not being "met". On the weekends they didnt have the falling asleep issues, even with the same wake up and bed times.

This is a large reason why I decided to go back to daycare. I am not saying this is the case for every family but certainly seemed to have an impact on our family.

One of my dcf says that they miss their kids so much during the work days that that's why they choose to cosleep and attachment parent. They hold dcg while she naps and go so far as to NEVER put her down. Even digging holes in the backyard (they wear her). They refuse to use the word "no" and will let older sibling eat candy for dinner to avoid the temper tantrum. They even changed doctors because the doctor tried to educate them on the dangers of cocleeping and told dcm that if she was serious about attachment parenting then she should be a stay at home mom because it wasn't fair to the "attached" baby!

[Ariana]

To me this is pretty olds news! I've read this before a loooong time ago somewhere! I agree with it 100%. I currently take care of a little girl who has comprehension issues, speach/language issues and anxiety issues all stemming from lack of sleep IMO. The mom won't take any advice. She naps here for 2 hours and sleeps around 8 hours at night. She's only 3 so should be getting 12 hours mainly at night. The mom insists that I shorten her naps but IMO her naps are helping her not hindering her. On days when she doesn't nap her night time sleep is worse. She comes on Monday morning and she's working on all cylinders....hyper, anxious, nervous, high pitched voice etc. then after her 2 hours nap she's relaxed. poor girl Her older sister is the same thing and the mom will say "oh she didn't turn out her light until 10pm because she wanted to read". That's what time I go to bed!!! She's 6!! Why doesn't the mom go and turn the kids light off and tell her to go to sleep....oh yeah the mom is too busy watching her own tv shows to care

I disagree with some of the statements about this being about 'attachement' parenting. Although it could be the case in some instances, I feel that parents run their kids ragged which is why kids are sleep deprived. How many pics have you seen on FB of kids falling asleep on their plates of food? I always cringe when I see this. Most of the children that I see don't have the opportunity to nap and it's more important for the parents to get "out and about" rather than schedule their lives around their kids naps. I was criticized constantly for leaving places because of my DD's nap schedule. My DD suffered from night terrors when she skipped naps. Sleep deprivation affects all kids differently. I remember being at a wedding and the mom had a little 3 month old out until 11pm!! I don't mean to sound judgmental but I just don't understand it. It's like parents get a sense of satisfaction from having a "portable" baby

[leilani]

I think we are on to something here. One, my DS who has ADHD and PDD-NOS has major sleep issues. One because his medicine keeps him awake. We use melatonin and benedryl to help him fall asleep, but if he has a night where he doesnt get much sleep. He is a NIGHTMARE and all of his normal issues are exacerbated.

2nd I have always wondered if kids sleeping problems have something to do with quality family time. The only reason I bring this up is because when both my husband and I were working outside the home 40+ hours a week, my kids sleeping issues were worse. I think it is because family time didnt start until 6pm at night. That meant only 2 hours until they were in bed. They had a harder time falling asleep on the week days because their family needs were not being "met". On the weekends they didnt have the falling asleep issues, even with the same wake up and bed times.

This is a large reason why I decided to go back to daycare. I am not saying this is the case for every family but certainly seemed to have an impact on our family.

I know what you mean, having a child with ADHD makes it more challenging for a parent when it comes to providing and teaching them with a healthy lifestyle that they can benefit from. I guess it does have a negative effect to our kids whenever they get deprived of quality family time. I have read through it on articles regarding proper ADHD parenting ever since I needed to research about ADHD because used to have the same problem with my son.
Whether with ADHD or not, it usually follows that a person with sleep issues usually has the ability to be more impatient and oftentimes moody.