Early sleep and self-regulation influence school adjustment

“

My hope is that this paper inspires confidence in parents to tackle ongoing sleep problems children may have across the early years. It is hard work to do so, but there is support out there, and it appears it may be well worth the effort. Of course, while not all children with behavioural sleep problems will experience difficulty transitioning to school, managing early sleep behaviours is one way to decrease risk for many children. Other research on sleep interventions that change parental night time behavior, such as gradual elimination of adult supports at bedtime and during the night, show that these are highly effective. However, I understand that these techniques do test parental tolerance for having their child in some short term discomfort and upset during the change of routine. This tolerance level is different in every family and parents must decide for themselves. If there are no day time behavioural or school adjustment difficulties than perhaps there are no issues. However, if there are daytime behaviour difficulties, mood issues, or even social difficulties, managing sleep is a great place to start.

”