Treating Insomnia in Children: Whatever Works
Photo courtesy of peasap
One of the more exhausting parenting routines is bedtime. Teeth brushing, story reading, checking for monsters in the closet, getting water, etc, etc. can make for a long night. But it is even worse for parents and children when your kids suffer from insomnia. My son has had trouble falling asleep since he was a baby, and when he reached toddler stage he had trouble staying asleep. He’s four now, and we still struggle with the bedtime routine. In fact, the night before this writing I was up with him from around 4:00am to 5:00am.
The Experts - What Do They Know?
We’ve consulted pediatricians, child behavioral specialist, books, and we even watch that lady Jo Jo the Nanny on television. What we have discovered is that none of them know our child like we know our child, and none of them have to sleep at our house. So, we’ve adopted the philosophy–whatever works. Some nights my son wakes up and can be put back to bed relatively easily. Other nights he wakes up and will sleep in our bed for the remainder of the night or early morning. Often times we have to stay in his room a while until he falls back to sleep. It is disruptive, but we know at some point he will grow out of this phase and when he is a teenager we will probably have to drag him out of bed.
Our “Homemade” Insomnia Remedies
We are certainly not experts, but we have learned a trick or two over the years of dealing with a child with insomnia. Here’s a short list of things we’ve found help our little guy fall asleep.
- Play soft music at bedtime. My son has listened to Baby Einstein lullaby CDs since birth. The music is soothing, and helps him relax before bedtime.
- Reading stories. We’ve read to both our kids for about 20-30 minutes before bedtime since they were old enough to sit up. Developing a reading hobby is important for kids, and you can never start to young. It also helps kids unwind (and has even been known to evoke a yawn or two from Dad!).
- White noise. Our kids both have problems with allergies, so we run a filter in their rooms at night. A side benefit is that the filter’s fan makes an audible noise much like” white noise” and helps block out other noises around the house.
- A back rub and a soft massage. Kids respond to soft touch because it makes them feel secure. I remember falling asleep many nights wity Mom and my grandmother gently stroking my hair as I drifted off to sleep. My son also likes us to gently massage the webbing of his hands (between index finger and thumb). Not sure why, but it must relax him because he always gets sleepy after a hand massage and a backrub. Find out what relaxes your little one and spend a few minutes indulging them at the end of a long day.
- Be patient. I should have listed this one first, because it is by far the most important thing to remember when helping your child battle insomnia. Childhood insomnia could be a side effect of a host of physical or psychological issues, and often times the child can’t help it. Be patient, and resist getting angry or raising your voice–it will only make matters worse, as your child when then become anxious about the whole bedtime routine for fear of making you angry. This anxiety will make the insomnia worse.
