The new year represents a new opportunity for all of us to develop better habits. But you don’t have to just focus on developing healthier habits for yourself. It’s also a perfect time to help your children develop better habits. Helping your child get better quality sleep is a great place to start to assist them in building better habits throughout the year. Life Tech has gathered several tips to help you develop strong habits for your child. 

How Much Sleep Does My Child Need? 

Before we provide any tips about how to improve your child’s sleep, it’s important to know how much sleep your child should be getting. This depends on your child’s age, but the general rule is the younger they are, the more sleep they need during the night. For example, elementary school children should get as many as 11 hours of sleep per night, while teenagers should be getting between 8 and 10 hours.  

Sleep Tips for All Children – Stay in a Routine 

Consistency is a big thing for children, so developing a nighttime routine is crucial to helping your child improve their sleep. The first thing is to set a consistent bedtime. This trains your child’s body to feel tired when it gets to a certain point in the evening. Setting up certain activities around bedtime can help your child as well. These activities can include: 

  • Putting on pajamas 
  • Brushing teeth 
  • Reading a book to your child 

Sleep Tips for Medically Fragile Children 

If your child has specific medical needs, managing those needs is important when considering their sleep schedule. Things to consider include: 

  • If your child takes specific medications, make sure those medications are taken on a schedule that will have the least impact on their sleep.  
  • If your child requires any specialized medical equipment, make sure their equipment is incorporated into their sleep routine.  
  • Finally, a sleep routine is just as important for medically fragile children. Create a sleep routine that won’t lead to disruptions so your child can get the rest they need during the night.  

Life Tech specializes in providing care to pediatric patients and their families. We provide services focused on keeping your child healthy and happy. Please contact us if you have a need for our services.