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Behavioral "insomnia" in the child

R A Ferber1

  • 1Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

The Psychiatric Clinics of North America
|December 1, 1987
PubMed

Insights

Behavioral issues are the primary cause of sleeplessness in young children. Addressing inappropriate sleep associations and scheduling through behavioral interventions leads to rapid resolution of sleep problems.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric sleep medicine
  • Child psychology

Background:

  • Sleeplessness in young children is frequently behavioral.
  • These issues can be primary or secondary to other conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the behavioral causes of childhood sleeplessness.
  • To highlight the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for sleep disturbances.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of behavioral factors contributing to sleep difficulties.
  • Review of case studies involving sleep interventions.

Main Results:

  • Inappropriate sleep associations, inconsistent limit-setting, and abnormal schedules (e.g., nighttime feedings) are key factors.
  • Behavioral interventions yield rapid improvement in sleep patterns.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood sleeplessness is largely behavioral and responsive to targeted interventions.
  • Correction of sleep schedules can resolve partial arousal symptoms like night terrors.

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