Infant Problems - The In-Depth Guide

All parents have had the experience of trying to settle their baby or young child to sleep without success. Whilst this is very upsetting for both parent and child, there is always a reason for restlessness, and thus there is always a solution.

The most common reasons that a baby may become unsettled are:

• Hunger/Thirst

• Pain/Illness

• Fear

• Dirty nappy

• Over-tiredness

• Too hot/too cold

• Boredom

If you do not know why your child is crying, you need to work through the possible causes to find the reason. The first step is to rule out illness. If all is well in this respect, check your child’s nappy and make sure they are not too hot or cold. It may be that your child is simply over-tired or over-stimulated. The key to preventing settling issues is recognising the signs of tiredness in your child – very young babies will adopt jerky movements, pull on their ears and cry, whilst older children may rub their eyes. Once your child displays the signs of being tired, then it is important to put them down to sleep, in order to prevent settling problems later on.

Some babies will scream at bedtime and this can be very distressing. However, providing the baby is well and comfortable, leaving them to cry will do no harm. A technique known as ‘controlled crying’ is commonly used to settle babies over 6 months into a regular sleeping pattern - this is where a baby is left to cry for a few minutes at a time, with the parent returning at intervals to reassure them. The time between visits is gradually increased to around 15-20 minutes until the child falls asleep.

In older children, settling issues may be down to simply not being tired or over-stimulation. Getting a child into a routine, with a winding-down period after dinner and then a bath, story and bed, may help. Try to cut out any daytime naps and ensure that your child gets lots of physical activity throughout the day.

Lots of toddlers and young children are prone to ‘night terrors’ or ‘monsters in the closet’ and there are many things that can be done to reassure them. Such experiences may be a symptom of underlying anxiety and so try talking with your child to see if this is the case. Has the child experienced any upheavals recently, such as the arrival of a new baby, or starting nursery?

Try to stick to the child’s regular bedtime routine to minimise any anxieties and install a nightlight if they are afraid of the dark. If they are scared of being left alone, reassure them that you will check back every few minutes – this will go some way to reducing anxiety. It may help to play soothing background music in order to help your child off to sleep, and put their favourite soft toy in bed with them for comfort. If your child does suffer with anxiety around bedtime, never send them to their room as a form of punishment – this will just emphasise to them that the bedroom is a scary place and increase their distress. Giving lots of love and attention to the child during waking hours helps them to feel safe and secure, and this may help to resolve any settling issues at bedtime.