Healthy Kids Healthy Futures: Sleep routines for children

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Sleep is crucial to your child's health.

Here in the Valley, some don't fall asleep until late but have an early morning wake-up call.

Valley parents are trying to make sure their kids get enough sleep, but that's not always the case.

This is happening across the country.

"When you look at the nation as a whole, about 25% of children have some form of sleep problem," says Dr. David Suhrbier with Valley Children's Hospital.

Dr. Suhrbier specializes in sleep medicine at Valley Children's Hospital.

His days are usually packed, seeing young patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

"During the time that you're asleep, you're having a number of abnormal shallow breaths, or you stop breathing during your sleep," he said.

As a father, he understands how difficult it can be for a child to fall asleep and get the recommended amount.

Some parents might reach for melatonin. Dr. Suhrbier says don't.

"It's not going to put them to sleep, and it's certainly not going to keep them asleep," he said. "More is not better. We are starting to see children who are showing up in emergency rooms with melatonin toxicity."

Dr. Suhrbier says no bedtime routine or not following it can lead to problems in the classroom.

"Your child is going to have poor academic performance, poor cognitive performance, their growth and development is going to be affected, they're going to engage in behaviors that could set them back," he said.

The short-term consequences can look like irritability, moodiness, hyperactivity and distractibility.

Long-term consequences will impact kids physically.

"They are more chronically tired, they have more body aches, they have more headaches," he said.

If your child continues to struggle to get out of bed, talk with their pediatrician to help figure out what's causing them to stay awake and what steps can lead to a better night's sleep.

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