Up to 30% of children between the ages of six months and three years regularly resist bedtime or have trouble staying asleep. This is known as behavioral insomnia and it may be linked to your child's eating habits.
According to research published in the journal Pediatrics, parents of children with behavioral insomnia were more likely to report that their child has eating issues. 25% of parents of children with insomnia said that mealtime was a problem (compared to 9% of other parents). 37% of parents of children with eating problems said sleep was also an issue (compared to 16% of other parents).
So, what can you do to change this? First, change your child's evening routine; set a regular bedtime and regular rituals (such as reading a book before bed). Second, get your child more interested in food and eating from an early age; slowly introduce a range of healthy, colorful foods and avoid distractions such as the television.
Please don't ignore your child's sleep problems - they could end up getting worse further down the road.
Source: Pediatrics
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Last updated: April 29, 2011
