Addressing sleep concerns
Sleep is frequently a source of considerable concern and anxiety for parents. The assistance and advice you provide will depend on your level of experience and knowledge of infant sleep.
The development of infant sleep has been previously outlined in the What are the occupations of infancy? module, particularly in the resources section.
There are two major approaches used for addressing sleep difficulties and there is considerable debate about both: these approaches are gentle sleep techniques/ responsive parenting techniques and controlled crying/ controlled comforting/ sleep training.
Gentle sleep techniques/ responsive parenting techniques: focus on learning to read baby’s cues for sleep, and helping baby to regulate emotions and arousal at sleep time. When changes are made, these are slow and gradual.
Controlled crying/ controlled comforting/ sleep training: aim to teach the baby to go to sleep without assistance. They involve setting up a bedtime routine and putting the baby into the cot while awake and returning briefly at set intervals if the baby is distressed. Controversy exists over the short and long-term effects of controlled crying. However, the majority of services supporting sleep now tend to use gentle sleep techniques and responsive cue based settling.
Please see the resources page for associated resources.
Key Point
- A parent's approach to settling their infant is a highly personal decision and will depend on their awareness and interpretation of the approach they take.
- It is not within the Occupational Therapy role to offer direct advice or to prescribe solutions to sleep problems. Occupational Therapy can offer suggestions from the knowledge base of sensory processing and self regulation. A joint problem-solving approach can help parents support infant sleep at home or in the hospital.
