My Kid Can’t Sleep at Night what could be the Problem?

Kids are the most unpredictable living beings. They will laugh when you expect them to be annoyed yet cry when you expect them to be laughing. Unpredictable as they are, they face one monotonous problem, not being able to sleep at night. Save for a few that can cruise for up to 5 straight hours.

Yes…when you mention sleeping disorder, the first thing that comes into people’s mind is a grownup that has just lost a job holding onto a beer.

That’s not the case:

Although sleep disorders are fairly common in grownups, kids do also have a fair share of this predicament.

That is not always the case however as sometimes they are just trying to assert their independence or even trying to squeeze more from the few remaining hours of the day.

For this reason, it can be certainly difficult to pinpoint what exactly is bothering your little one. But certainly, as a parent, there are some few signs that can help troubleshoot what the problem could be.

Here are some few reasons worth checking out if your kid can’t sleep:

A Distorted Sleeping Schedule

A distorted sleeping can be confusing to the kid. I mean even you as a parent would be confused if you woke up in the middle of the night to find the sun shining gloriously.

As a parent take time to scrutinize the little one’s daytime schedule. A tired kid will always have a hard time sleeping at night. So ensuring that they have a nap in between the day could come in handy.

Additionally, you may find that you are taking them to bed too early or even they are having an extended napping holiday to Malibu during the day.

From the kid’s sleeping schedule, you will be able to determine what the problem is and come up with a solution to address it accordingly.

Bedtime Fears

Remember the good old story about the python who tried to lure the rabbit into his cave? Turns out the python wanted to turn her into dinner. But on a second thought, much as she wanted fearing for her dear life, she totally and vehemently so declined. If the hare was bold enough to say so, who would castigate kids for fearing to go to sleep?

Fearing to go to bed could trigger your baby from wanting to circumvent sleep. It simply means that they fear being left alone in a dark room.

That notwithstanding, they can be really imaginative and they could be picturing a ghost they saw on a cartoon program sleeping right next to them. Good news is that, with time, this fear usually fades. In the meantime, you can make sure that the room has dim lights as they sleep.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Although rare, this condition can play a significant role in impinging your kid from sleeping. Apnea is a condition characterized by loud breathing, snoring, interrupted and troubled breathing and it is commonly caused by enlarged adenoids and tonsils.

This condition leads to limited oxygen supply to the brains hence troubled sleep. One of the best ways to counter this is to buy a nose mask and ensure they put it before sleep or even having a surgical removal of the tonsils.

Wet Diapers

One of the most uncomfortable things that will stand in the way of a comfortable sleep is a wet diaper. On top of being uncomfortable, they can leave nasty rashes on the skin which can be painful and itchy at times.

The best way to solve this problem is to ensure that they change diapers before sleeping and occasionally checking at a pre-determined interval say 3 hours. This way your kid will sail through the night in a seamless fashion.

Stress 

As the child grows, so does the emotional attachment to their parents. When it comes to stopping them from suckling or even moving to their bed, the stress is not easy for them to comprehend.

Ensuring that you are around during the day will help the kid gain a psychological equilibrium and develop their cognitive skills consequently reducing the stress.

Teething

It’s exciting when kids start chewing snacks. But during the teething period, it can be one hell of a rollercoaster given that it takes anything between 6-18 months. It is characterized by the swelling of the gums with the milk teeth looking for an opening to pop up.

If this situation proves to be a pain in the butt, you can consult your doctor on whether to administer teething pills. Additionally, you can numb the gums with a wet cloth and this will ease the pain.

Food Intolerance and Allergy

Food allergy can cause a host of physical problems like skin rashes and a bloated stomach all which is an excellent recipe for a sleepless night.

These 2 problems commonly start appearing when you introduce solid food to your kid. To counter this problem, you may gradually introduce solid food and increase the portions as they get used. Additionally, you can also choose to abstain from foods that have a negative effect on their physical well-being.

 Sleeping Tips

The Take Home

If your kid is struggling to sleep at night, I hope the above article will help. Lack of a better sleep can be detrimental to both the physical and mental development of your kid. Remember the key is to avoid sleepless nights as much as possible by ensuring that you troubleshot the problems right before they occur. If they have already occurred, then you can use the knowledge you have gained to counter them.

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