“Help me Doc, my whole family has been really stressed out these past few weeks as Jimmy is having much trouble getting to sleep at night. He is such a pleasant boy in the day but he’ll cry inconsolably at night, worse if we push hard for him to go to his bed. He’ll stay up late every night demanding attention and he becomes moody if we refuse to give in. The wedding dinner that we attended last night was a total nightmare, he cried through the night!” Amanda, 29 years; Jimmy, 23 months.
Dr Stork says: Toddler sleep disorders or in particularly, bedtime sleep disorder is common at this age as a child of this age very often becomes over-excited and over-tired towards bedtime. He will try to put off his bedtime as long as possible, due to his sleeplessness and tiredness, he simply becomes more distressed. Your child might become so fragile that any small discomfort or frustration will make him cry inconsolably. If you are expecting your child to have a late evening, or a special treat such as a party or a school play, make sure he has a nap during the day so that his energy will last. If he does become over-excited and over-tired it is especially important that you remain calm and quiet. Talk to him gently, give him lots of cuddles, be infinitely patient, and take him gently to his bedroom. Sing him a song or read a story until he has become calm and quietened down. Soon, you will solve this toddler sleeping problem.
For new parents or parents with young babies, you may want to find out more at: