Sleep can be challenging

Should I be concerned about my child’s sleep?

Getting ahead of the game is very important when it comes to your child’s sleep. The longer they struggle, the harder it becomes to dig out of the hole. Here are some signs that you may want to start thinking more actively about their sleep:

• Are they starting to have trouble falling asleep? Is it taking them 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or maybe even longer to fall asleep at night?
• In the middle of the night, are they waking up and not able to fall back to sleep quickly (longer than 15 minutes)?
• How do they feel when they wake up? Do they complain about feeling tired more than usual? Is their mood getting worse, with more behavioral outbursts or yelling?
• If your child was sleeping independently, have they started to ask for a parent to stay in their bedroom (or even in their bed) until they fall asleep? Or do they wake up in the middle of the night and come and get a parent to help them fall back to sleep?

If you said “Yes” to any of the questions, this is a warning sign that your child’s sleep may be at the point in which you want to consider tackling the problem. The following sleep resources can heip:

Sleep tools & information

What does sleep really look like for your child?

Track your child’s sleep with this print sleep diary. After tracking for a week or more, use the online sleep calculator to see their sleep statistics.

Get help with treatment-related sleep side effects:

Some medications affect sleep. Learn more about these effects.

How much sleep does my child need?

Children all need a different amount of sleep. Determine the right amount for your child.

Sleep myths, mistakes, & tips

5 common sleep myths: Many long-held beliefs about sleep turn out not to be true. Learn common sleep myths.

4 frequent sleep mistakes: Learn about sleep-related mistakes families may make and how to overcome them.

9 sleep tips: Get the top strategies families shared about helping their children sleep better.