Small town family
Swapping the big city for a smaller town is one of the best moves we have made so far.
Baby wants, baby gets
Am I crazy or does this baby love spinach and sushi?
 |
Image: Ablestock
Swiss researchers found that among 305 young children they studied there was significant variability in how much sleep they typically got each night.
But about 90% remained fairly steady in their sleep habits throughout childhood.
The findings published in the journal Pediatrics suggest that biological makeup plays a large role in the amount of sleep a child needs.
"We conclude from these findings that there is no optimal amount of sleep for the entire population of children," Dr. Oskar G. Jenni, of the Child Development Center at University Children's Hospital Zurich, said in an interview.
"There is a wide range of normal sleep duration among children," he added.
Children in the study showed short-term fluctuations in their sleep patterns. The average amount of sleep time declined over the long term – from more than 14 hours a day at age 1 to 10 hours at age 10.
But after 10 years old, most children had stable sleep habits. Those who tended to sleep less, or more, in early childhood also did so at an older age, Jenni said.
"We need to recognise that some children sleep less than others and vice versa," he explained.
Although some parents have a set bedtime for their children, they should realise that each child may actually have different sleep needs.
Putting a naturally short sleeper to bed early in the evening could create sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep all night, Jenni said.
Children who wake up in the morning without difficulty and show no signs of daytime sleepiness are probably getting enough shut-eye.
But children who are groggy during the day or have behavioural problems and trouble with schoolwork may be sleep-deprived, he added.
Ask an expert
Article Search
Get blogging
Get one now!
Read one now!
 |
Teamwork
Hannah enjoys activities which include her ego. Check it out... more>
|
|
 |
Days of our Lives
Lexie finds comfort in Tek's arms, Carrie and Lucas go on their first date and Mimi plucks up the courage to tell Shaun the truth... more>
|
Potty training
The first day of school
Eating in restaurants
Handling tantrums
Child safety on the road
Dealing with bullies
Sleep Sense
Baby Sense
Toddler Sense
Children need boundaries: Effective discipline without punishment
Get the balance right
FitPregnancy
Your Pregnancy
Your Baby
Your Child
NG Kids
Seventeen
|
Your voice every day... here!
Pink eye and kisses
|
