Page 64 - Issue 112 May-June 2021

Sleep The importance of sleep Mel Wood talks about her daughter’s night-waking and how finding a non-medicinal sleep aid has helped her get a better night’s sleep. 64 Ever since my youngest daughter’s frequent night-waking left me exhausted I have been passionate about helping parents who are looking for a non-medicinal sleep aid to help their child get a better night’s sleep. Sleeping problems We spend approximately a third of our lives asleep and it is widely accepted that most people need around 8 hours sleep a night to function properly although some need more and some need less. For children, the amount of sleep needed ranges from 11.5 hours during the day (with 2.5 at night) to 8.5 hours for a sixteen-year-old. However, for up to 80% of children with a disability, achieving this amount of sleep is simply not possible due to any variety of reasons linked to their disability. A child with sleep problems within the home can affect the whole family. From parents of young children and siblings to children with elderly grandparents who may be living with them the ripple effect can reach all members of the family. For the child struggling to sleep, the lack of sleep can leave them feeling irritable and frustrated and struggling to concentrate at school due to tiredness. Siblings can also find it hard to perform at school as their sleep can often be disrupted by their parents trying to settle their brother or sister. Establishing a routine One of the first steps is to consider if your child has a regular bedtime routine that is the same each night as well as a regular time when they go to bed and wake up? Children like structure and, although they may resist this at first, if you are consistent, they will soon learn to accept the structure you impose. A routine can include: • Make the last 30 minutes before sleep a regular routine that happens each night and ensure that you direct the routine. • Most children need a wind down period of relaxing activities to help them transition to sleep – include activities such as a bath, getting dressed into nightwear and stories (avoid television / computers during this time). “Children need a wind-down period” SEN112 senmagazine.co.uk