Parental behaviour at bedtime affects childhood sleep patterns

08 Apr 2008

Sleep disturbances in early childhood and preschool years can be linked to parental attitude to bedtime when the child is between 29 and 41 months old, according to a new report.

Research published in the latest issue of Archives of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found that mothers who give 29 to 41-month-old children food or drink when they wake during the night can be associated with bad dreams and shorter total sleep time at age 50 months.

According to the report, early sleep disturbances when a child is aged five to 17 months predict maladaptive parenting behaviours, such as giving food or drink after awakening, when they reach 29 to 41 months.

In response to the findings, the study's authors stated: "Our findings clarify the long-debated relationship between parental behaviours and childhood sleep disturbances.

"They suggest that co-sleeping [when parents and infants share a bed] and other uncommon parental behaviors have negative consequences for future sleep and are thus maladaptive."

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