My Child Is School Age and Still Doesn’t Sleep Through the Night

What can I do?

When your child was a newborn, you became accustomed to middle-of-the-night stirrings. You could almost set your alarm by their feedings, diaper changes, and pleas for snuggles.

Yet, those 2:00 a.m. wakeup calls were supposed to wane by the time they started school, right?

If you’re reading this on your third cup of coffee and the sun just rose, you know that isn’t always the case. Fortunately, once you know why their sleep is disrupted, you can take steps to improve it.

From mouth breathing and TMJ disorders to screen time and irregular bedtimes, there are a few reasons why your child isn’t sleeping through the night just yet. Let’s take a look at why this might be the case, and what you can do.

Possible Causes of School-Age Sleep Disruptions

Research shows that between 20% and 50% of all children experience some form of sleep problem. While there’s comfort in solidarity, it doesn’t do much to soothe your tired nerves.

That’s why it’s important to understand the various issues that could be behind those frequent interruptions. As we review some of the most common ones, consider if these could apply to your situation.

1. Lack of Bedtime Routine

It might sound counterintuitive or even unbelievable, but research shows that children and adolescents crave and need structure.

Allowing a child to set their own bedtime or being lax about when they turn out their light can lead to a host of problems—childhood insomnia among them.

Children 3 to 5 years old need between 10 and 13 hours of sleep every day, including naps. Six-to-12-year-olds need nine to 12 hours. A solid, consistent bedtime routine can help ensure they get the amount of rest that their growing bodies require.

Especially if your child seems cranky, fussy, or overly tired during the day, it’s likely they aren’t getting enough sleep. Set an early bedtime and focus on simple activities that can designate when it’s time to unwind, such as a warm bath and a story.

2. Refusals and Resistance

Childhood sleeping issues can be both physical and behavioral.

Have you noticed that your child routinely resists bedtime? In addition to verbally denouncing the ritual, some children may even become violent and aggressive to get their message across.

To set firmer and clearer limits, researchers suggest avoiding the urge to give attention or credence to bedtime-delaying behavior. Instead, focus on positive reinforcement that encourages your child to sleep through the night. This can be as simple as a sticker chart for younger children or another small reward for your older kids.

Start by keeping the goals small (e.g. staying in their own bed until sunrise) and work up from there.

3. Sleep Disturbances

In some cases, you could hear that familiar pitter-patter in the hallway because your child is suffering from a form of sleep disturbance.

Usually, these are involuntary changes in their sleeping patterns that can jar them awake without warning. Some of the most common ones include the following:

  • Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
  • Night terrors
  • Bad dreams
  • Sleepwalking
  • Bed-wetting

Some sleep disturbances, like bed-wetting, can be fairly easy to spot. Others, such as bad dreams and RLS, might not present themselves as obviously.

In addition, there are also disturbances that center on fears, such as fear of the dark or fear of monsters under the bed. These are more psychological and less physical in nature, but are still concerning.

Most of the time, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is enough to help keep these issues at bay. If they persist, your pediatrician can help you understand ways to help your child cope, so you can both sleep better at night.

4. Mouth Breathing

Does your child breathe through their mouth when they sleep? If so, their unpleasant morning breath could be the least of your issues. Mouth breathing at night is linked to behavioral problems, chronic exhaustion, and even slower growth.

Put simply, we all function best when we intake oxygen through our nostrils. The cilia in our nasal passages help to filter out unwanted pathogens and keep the air we breathe humid and healthy.

However, it’s not uncommon to find little ones with their mouths wide open, inhaling and exhaling that way instead.

Why is this the case?

There are a few reasons your child could be breathing through their mouth at night. For instance, their nasal passages might be inflamed and full of mucus if they have a cold. Or, they could be suffering from environmental allergies that are triggering the same symptoms.

Then, there are some children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids that partially block their airway when they sleep. Your pediatrician can help you determine what’s going on and how to best correct these issues moving forward.

5. Teeth and Palate Concerns

Sometimes, children’s sleeping problems can be traced back to the shape of their developing teeth and palate.

This development significantly affects your child’s overall health. If there are any issues, it can trigger a range of conditions, including the following:

  • The ability to inhale through their nose (affecting nighttime breathing patterns)
  • Teeth grinding (bruxism)
  • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues
  • Sleep apnea

Our St. Albans dental care team can help evaluate your child’s teeth and palate to see if they could be behind any ongoing sleep issues. Our preventative orthodontics services begin as early as age 3 and can help identify and correct future airway issues.

Correcting Mouth Breathing and Other Childhood Sleep Issues

If your child is experiencing any of the conditions listed here, it’s important to visit your pediatrician to understand exactly what’s happening and how to help. At the same time, your orthodontist or family dentist can also be a valuable resource in this journey.

If you suspect mouth breathing could be keeping your child up, let’s talk. We can help implement real and lasting changes that can alleviate this concern. Contact us today and sleep a little better tonight.

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