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Sleep disorders of early childhood: a review
1Mother-baby Clinic, Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Insights
Common childhood sleep problems in children under three are linked to maternal attachment. Sleep aids can help, while prolonged breastfeeding and co-sleeping may hinder normal sleep development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Night awakenings and sleep refusal affect 6-30% of young children.
- Childhood sleep patterns are influenced by maternal attachment and parental interactions.
- Sleep disorders are more prevalent in children with disabilities or difficult temperaments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore factors influencing early childhood sleep regulation.
- To examine the relationship between maternal factors and child sleep behavior.
- To identify key considerations for evaluating and treating childhood sleep disorders.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on early childhood sleep.
- Analysis of the impact of attachment, sleep aids, breastfeeding, and co-sleeping.
- Consideration of parental limits, child temperament, and maternal psychopathology.
Main Results:
- Sleep aids may reduce sleep disorders, while prolonged breastfeeding and co-sleeping can interfere with sleep.
- Parental limit-setting is crucial during the preschool years.
- Maternal psychopathology is associated with disrupted child sleep patterns.
Conclusions:
- Childhood sleep disorders are multifactorial, influenced by attachment, environment, and parental factors.
- Effective interventions require addressing parent-child interactions and parental well-being.
- Medical evaluation and tailored therapeutic approaches are essential for managing sleep issues.
Abstract:
Night awakening and refusal to go to sleep are common problems during the first three years of life, comprising 6-30% of children in the general population. The organization and regulation of child sleep is thought to be closely related to his mode of attachment to his mother. Sleep aids (pacifier, teddy bear, etc.) during the night seem to reduce the occurrence of sleep disorders whereas prolonged breastfeeding and co-sleep with the parents interfere with the normal development of sleep. During the preschool years, the main issue affecting sleep is the ability of parents to set firm limits while respecting the sense of autonomy of the child. Sleep disorders are considered to be more common among physically and mentally handicapped children. Children with a difficult temperament sleep less than those with an easy one. A clear association is found between sleep patterns and psychopathology of the mother probably due to emotional unavailability and inappropriate behavior. Evaluation of the disorder should follow medical examination. It should take place in the presence of the child in order to view the real interaction as well as given information about the reported interaction between the child and his mother. Therapeutic interventions in cases of early childhood sleep disorders can be behavioral or psychodynamic and are advised to be focused and brief, unless there is psychopathology in the parents.