source: www.stopbullying.gov
Name: Article with Strip Ad
4 x 9.8"
Customer Name: FREEMAN HEALTH SYSTEM
Ad Number: 012923NWR9591
www.freemanhealth.com/peds
By Dr. Paul Petry, Freeman Health
System Pediatrician
Your family got home late tonight, and
that means that dinner was late, too.
Then homework time. Then bath time.
And finally, bedtime. When time is short
(and honestly, when isn't it?), sleep
can be one of the first things on the
chopping block. We push bedtime back
or tell ourselves we will wake up earlier
to make time for the things that didn't
get done during the day.
While the occasional late night is not
going to do irreparable damage to your
child's development, an ongoing lack
of sleep can be detrimental in a myriad
of ways-from irritability and difficulty
concentrating to obesity, headaches and
depression. How much sleep is enough
for your child, though? The numbers
may surprise you:
Infants (4-12 months)
12-16 hours (including naps)
Toddlers (1-2 years)
11-14 hours (including naps)
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
10-13 hours (including naps)
Gradeschoolers (6-12 years)
9-12 hours
Teens (13-18 years)
8-10 hours
How can you
make a sleep
a priority in
your home
with so many
other things
competing for
your family's time
and attention?
✓
Make sleep a
family priority.
Like so many other things
in your home, the example
starts with you. Just like with
eating right and exercising, you can
set a positive example for your kids by
prioritizing your own sleep and showing
that it is part of a healthy lifestyle.
✓
Avoid overscheduling. The
temptation to pack too many things
into the day starts early in life. Help
your children pick what activities are
truly important to them and make sure
they still have adequate time to rest and
unwind at the end of each day.
✓
Limit screen time. Put all screens
away at least one hour before
bedtime. This includes computers, TVs,
tablets and cell phones. These screens
emit blue light, which tricks our bodies
into thinking it's daytime instead of
time for sleep. Instead of winding down
a screen, help your children find their
own relaxing bedtime routines, whether
that includes reading a book, journaling
or stretching.
If you are concerned that your child
is not getting enough sleep, talk to
your child's pediatrician. Many sleep
problems are easily treated, which can
make a world difference in the morning.
For more information about healthy
sleep, visit healthychildren.org for
American Association of Pediatrics
recommendations. Visit freemanhealth.
com/pediatrics for more information
about pediatric services at Freeman
Health System.
Sleep On It:
The Importance of a
Good Night's Sleep to
Your Child's Development
SponSor Content
6 • February 2023 • www.officialkidsmag.com
