How much sleep does your child need?

As a new parent you may ask yourself how much sleep my child really need. Sleep deficiency can start with children? as young as a toddler. Lack of sleep or trouble sleeping can make it difficult for young children to concentrate and can cause them to have problems working and playing with peers. Children need a lot of sleep for proper development. How much sleep is enough? It all depends on your child's age. Most kids' sleep requirements fall within a predictable range of hours based on their age, but each child is a unique individual with distinct sleep needs. Here are some approximate numbers based on age, accompanied by age-appropriate pro-sleep tactics.

1- 6 Months: They generally sleep or drowse for 16 to 20 hours a day, divided about equally between night and day. Newborns should be awakened every 3 to 4 hours until their weight gain is established, which typically happens within the first couple of weeks. After that, it's OK if a baby sleeps for longer periods of time. Newborns' longest sleep periods are generally 4 or 5 hours - this is about how long their small bellies can go between feedings.

If newborns do sleep for a while, they will likely be extra hungry during the day and may want to nurse or get the bottle more frequently. Ideally, your baby should be placed in the crib before falling asleep. And it's not too early to establish a simple bedtime routine. Any soothing activities, performed consistently and in the same order each night, can make up the routine. Your baby will associate these with sleeping, and they'll help him or her wind down.

6 to 12 Months: At 6 months, an infant may nap about 3 hours during the day and sleep about 11 hours at night. At this age, you can begin to change your response to an infant who awakens and cries during the night. Establishing healthy sleep habits is a primary goal during this period, as your baby is now much more social, and his sleep patterns are more adult-like. The key is being sensitive to his sleep needs and adapting your lifestyle and scheduling your activities to be in sync with them. As Weissbluth notes, "You are harming your child when you allow unhealthy sleep patterns to evolve or persist, sleep deprivation is as unhealthy as feeding a nutritionally deficient diet."

1 to 3 Years: From ages 1 to 3, most toddlers sleep about 10 to 13 hours. Separation anxiety, or just the desire to be up with mom and dad (and not miss anything), can motivate a child to stay awake. The transition to one nap may be a bumpy one, though, where one nap is not enough and two are too many. If this is the case, you may try moving his bedtime earlier, so that he is more rested and better able to skip the morning nap.  Even the best sleepers give parents an occasional wake-up call. Teething can awaken a toddler and so can dreams. Active dreaming begins at this age, and for very young children, dreams can be pretty alarming. Nightmares are particularly frightening to a toddler, who can't distinguish imagination from reality. Comfort and hold your child at these times. Let your toddler talk about the dream if he or she wants to, and stay until your child is calm. Then encourage your child to go back to sleep as soon as possible.

Preschoolers (3 to 5 years): Preschoolers sleep about 10 to 12 hours per night plus an afternoon nap. Most give up this nap by 5 years of age., but there's no reason to be completely rigid about 10 to 12 hours. A 5-year-old child may still have nightmares and trouble falling asleep some nights. You can prepare a "nighttime kit" that includes activities to pass the time and relax your child.

School-age/Preteens (5 to 12 years): Preteens need about 10 hours of sleep a night. Some 5-year-olds may still need a nap.

If a regular nap isn't possible, the child might need an earlier bedtime. Bedtime difficulties can arise at this age from a child's need for private time with parents, without siblings around. Try to make a little private time just before bedtime and use it to share confidences and have small discussions, which will also prepare your child for sleep. Most parents underestimate the amount of sleep their child needs, so be sure to watch your child's behavior for signs of insufficient sleep. Signs of sleep deprivation can range from the obvious like fatigue to more subtle problems with behavior and schoolwork. So keep an eye out.

Teens: Adolescents need about 8 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night, but many don't get it. And as they progress through puberty, teens actually need more sleep. Because teens often have schedules packed with school and activities, they're typically chronically sleep deprived (or lacking in a healthy amount of sleep). And sleep deprivation adds up over time, so an hour less per night is like a full night without sleep by the end of the week. Among other things, sleep deprivation can lead to:

decreased attentiveness decreased short-term memory inconsistent performance delayed response time These can cause generally bad tempers, problems in school, stimulant use, and driving accidents.

Ask yourself:

• Does my child act sleepy during the day?
• Does my child get cranky and irritable in the late afternoon?
• Is it a battle to get my child out of bed in the morning?
• Is my child inattentive, impatient, hyperactive, or aggressive?
• Does my child have trouble focusing on schoolwork and other tasks?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider adjusting your child's sleep or nap schedule. Remember that it may take several weeks to find a routine that ensures your child gets the rest he or she needs. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your child's sleep.

Methods that may help your child ease into a good night's sleep:

• Include a winding-down period in the routine.
• Stick to a bedtime, alerting your child both half an hour and 10 minutes beforehand.
• Allow your child to choose which pajamas to wear, stuffed animal to take to bed, etc.
• Consider playing soft, soothing music.
• Don't give your baby or toddler a bottle (of breast milk, formula, or any sugar-containing drink) to aid sleep. This can cause a serious dental problem called "baby bottle tooth decay" because the fluids tend to pool in the child's mouth.
• Tuck your child into bed snugly for a feeling of security.
• Encourage your older kid or teen to set and maintain a bedtime that allows for the full hours of sleep needed at this age.

Keep in mind that most children need lots of sleep. Often, says Baby Center sleep expert Jodi Mindell, author of Sleeping through the Night, if a child has poor sleep habits or refuses to go to bed before 11 at night, his parents will think that he just doesn't need a lot of sleep. That's probably not true in fact, it's likely that such a child is actually sleep-deprived! So have a hard think as to how much sleep your child is getting each night.

(Sources: webmd.com, parenthood.com)