Healthy sleep is very important for both the mental and physical development of children. While some children go to bed and lie down when they feel sleepy, some children have difficulty falling asleep and need support.
Why do children have difficulty falling asleep?
Sleep; It is a kind of separation. Even some adults seek support before falling asleep by reading a book, listening to music, or dreaming. Children also look for things to help them fall asleep; hugging a favorite toy, playing with her hair, listening to a lullaby, etc. like.
Before going to sleep, most of the children, with their fear of the dark, make requests to their parents such as "Can you put me to bed", "Stay with me until I fall asleep", "Can you read a book to me", "Keep the light on" and thus seek support. to herself. After the age of 8-9, children can sleep alone, needing less support. The child's ego gradually develops and becomes stronger, and if there is a healthy development process, these fears will be left behind with age. It is very important to discover what comforts your child during this process. This need should not be ignored and answers such as "You have become a big kid, what a story every night", "You sleep alone, I don't need to stand next to you", "You are grown up now, you can go to your room and sleep alone" should not be given, and the support he needs should be provided at that moment.
Night awakenings, difficulty in falling asleep, night nightmares, traumas (earthquake, thief, abuse, disease, etc.), watching horror movies, listening to scary stories, arguments in the family, unrest, and parental quarrels are among the factors that make it difficult for the child to fall asleep. . Children who experience separation anxiety and are overly dependent on their parents may also avoid sleeping alone.
How should a child with sleeping problems be treated?
First, let's look at some wrong parental attitudes.
When your child wakes up crying, turning on the light and taking him in your arms is as wrong as not going to him when he cries. Sleeping next to the child because he is crying or taking him out of his bed and changing his bed further reinforces the child's fear. It can lead to reinforcement such as "There was something to be afraid of, my mother slept next to me." Instead, it is necessary to be there when your child cries without taking him out of his bed, to let him know that you are there, and to help him calm down while he is in bed.
Children may sometimes have difficulty sleeping alone due to many different fears. The reasons for these should be determined, talked to the child, appropriate solutions should be found and relief should be provided. If the problem persists, professional support should not be avoided.
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