CHILDREN + SLEEP
Insufficient and poor sleep quality is a prevalent issue in children. Current evidence indicates that chronically disrupted sleep in children and adolescents can lead to problems developmentally, cognitively, behaviorally and emotionally. Behavioral interventions for pediatric sleep problems, especially in young children have been shown to produce clinically significant improvements.
Sleep problems are some of the most common parents often face. Raising healthy sleepers from the onset is not always an easy task. It takes consistent dedication on the part of often over exhausted parents struggling with their own sleep issues. Parents can overlook how important the role sleep plays in a child’s development mentally, physically and emotionally and may be too close to see what could be contributing to sleep challenges. The foundation for healthy sleep habits involves understanding how physical needs, developmental factors such as milestones, social factors and emotional needs, as well as environment, play a part in its success, with consistency being the driver behind it all.
We serve in addressing this issue by providing sleep health education programs for parents at hospitals and physician groups to identify sleep disorders and guidance for helping develop lifelong healthy sleep practices. Whether parents need help getting their child to sleep through the night, have difficulty with naps, issues with early risings or believe that the family sleep dynamic needs evaluation, we provide the education to support and guide them to make the best choices to suit their needs. Interested in getting your staff trained in one of our parent support programs? Contact us via email at hello@startwithsleep.com.
RAISING HEALTHY SLEEPERS
We provide educational workshops for maternity, child & family sleep including addressing special needs, and foster/adoptive concerns to create a positive relationship with sleep for the entire household. This starts with new and expecting parents as pregnancy can alter quality of sleep and the addition of a baby can lead to long, restless nights. New parents can loose up to 750 hours in the first year. We provide the proper tools to aid in raising healthy sleepers from the onset, but as importantly assessing the family sleep dynamic creating a safe and healthy environment for both parent and child.
SAFETY & SLEEP: SIDS EDUCATION
We educate parents to safe sleep practices and how to avoid high risk situations in newborn sleep. We also address myths surrounding infant sleep and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome as well as outline recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERSENSITIVITY DISORDER (ADHD) VS SLEEP APNEA
Lack of quality sleep can lead to sleep deprivation in children and can manifest itself into emotional and physical problems. Insufficient sleep can bring about ADHD-like symptoms and can often be misdiagnosed. Clinical studies conducted have confirmed that children with sleep problems are more likely to show signs of aggression, are more impulsive and hyper-sensitive. Children when tired become hyperactive opposite of fatigued adult behavior. Children may have sleep apnea which is typically characterized by an obstruction of oral and nasal passages while they sleep. Typically it is associated with snoring and dangerous breathing pauses of 10 seconds or more, choking or gasping during sleep. A comprehensive oral examination by a dentist, evaluation by an ear, nose & throat doctor or a diagnostic sleep test can help determine if a child may be suffering from sleep apnea.