ANCSLEEP BLOG

We've all heard about growth spurts in children—the seemingly sudden increase in height and weight that can leave parents scrambling to buy new clothes and shoes. But did you know that these growth spurts can also significantly impact a child's sleep patterns? Understanding the relationship between growth and sleep can provide valuable insights for parents and caregivers. In this blog post, we'll explore the fascinating connection between growth spurts and sleep and offer some tips on how to navigate this challenging period.

A child's sleep patterns can be a source of concern and frustration for many parents. From bedtime battles to frequent nighttime awakenings, sleep challenges can impact a child's mood, behavior, and overall well-being. While some sleep disturbances are common and temporary, others might require professional intervention. Here's a guide on when to consult a pediatrician about your child's sleep issues.

Bedwetting is a developmental problem that many children have to deal with. It involves children wetting the bed at night because they were unable to use the bathroom. This is a potty trained child who had an accident in the bed. It can be uncomfortable and upsetting for the child, as well as frustrating for the parent. The older children get, the more uncomfortable it can become for the child. Continue reading to learn more about bedwetting and what you can do to mitigate it. 

Sleep is vital for childhood development and learning. It affects the child's health, mood, and ability to stay on track for their milestones. A lack of sleep can have long-term effects on the child's academic performance and emotional health.

However, as children grow, their need for sleep can decrease. There are recommendations based on the child's age, and many times they achieve these hours with naps implemented into their daily schedule. So, this may raise the question, when should kids stop napping?

The exact age varies, and depends on individual factors: maturity, preschool/daycare, and nighttime sleeping habits. At about age three, the majority of children will still take at least one nap per day. About sixty percent of four-year-olds take naps, but by age five, most children no longer need a nap. The older children get, the more that number continues to shrink, with almost no children napping by the age of seven. Continued napping may be a sign of an underlying issue, and will need to be discussed with your pediatrician. Continue reading to learn more about the recommendations for children and naps. 

You may be so excited when your baby starts sleeping through the night, and then very confused and frustrated when that suddenly stops. This is called sleep regression, and some babies to through it at various times of their development. Continue reading to learn more about what a sleep regression is, and what you can do about it to help you and your baby get better sleep. 

Quality sleep is vital for your child's functioning and academic success. Sleep deprivation in children can look similar to adults, but it can also differ. Academic performance is going to be one of the main players in how you can recognize when your child is not getting enough sleep.

One way to ensure that your child does get enough sleep is to ensure that when school starts, they are back on track with their sleep schedule. The summer is a looser time without many time commitments or time-restraints. Therefore, parents normally are more relaxed about when their children go to bed and when they wake up.

Transitioning back to school can take some readjustment in many areas of their lives, including a sleep schedule. Continue reading to learn more about how to get your child back on track with their sleep schedule for a good start to the year. 

The beginning of school will be here before you know it, and it's important to understand your kid's sleep. There is so much information on the internet about sleep, it can be easy to pick up misinformation. But for the sake of your child's well being, it is vital that you understand the truth about sleep.

A lack of sleep can lead to irritability, failing grades, and other inadequacies in your child's life. As they are in a developmentally sensitive period, sleep is optimal for their neurological and physiological health. Continue reading to learn about 3 myths that parents get wrong about their kids' sleep.

Teaching children to share is vital at a young age. However, a new study is finding that having children share bedrooms could actually be cause them to miss out on sleep. How much sleep exactly? 28 minutes. Although that doesn't seem like a significant amount, the extra time could actually be worth it. Continue reading to learn more about the benefit of children sleeping in their own bedrooms. 

Apnea is the term for brief pauses in breathing. In children, these events can be common, and very scary for parents. It's important to know common causes of apnea in children, so parents and practitioners know when to be concerned, and when not to be. Pauses in breathing, cyanosis (turning blue), unresponsiveness, are all signs to look out for and can determine the severity of the issue. Here are possible causes of apnea in children and neonates.  

Since the pandemic the rise in melatonin use in children has steadily increased. Pediatricians are seeing more adults giving children melatonin and ever before. This is due to the major sleep disturbances they experienced at the height of the pandemic. However it is becoming more alarming that melatonin use has become an everyday thing instead of a sleep aid to use every once in a while.

Nighttime disturbances in children can be disruptive to a child's daily function and to everyone else in the house. However, it's important to understand that the long-term use of melatonin has not been studied in children. Therefore it is unknown what will happen to children who use melatonin on a daily basis.

Another concern is the risk of melatonin overdose and children. The calls to poison control have risen over the last couple of years due to melatonin overdoses. Part of this is due to the fact that melatonin is packaged and gummies which is very appealing for kids. They think that melatonin is candy and consumer as such. Tablets are less appealing to children and therefore experience less overdosing than the melatonin gummies.

Continue reading to learn more about why overdose of melatonin looks like in children, and what you should do if you suspect that your child has eaten more melatonin and they were intended to.