Other parents may need a wake-up call that a child needs more rest and regulation. Use of a sleep screening survey may provide an opportunity for dialogue between pediatrician and parent as to what are sleep problems and what are ways to intervene, Owens said. In order for your child to function and do well, it is important the child gets 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night and a more regular bedtime. A pediatrician should tie the message to something tangible and concrete, pointing out how the child acts when tired, such as cranky, irritable, or hyper, and describing how this negatively affects one s ability to do well in school, Owens said. Information from teachers is not usually gathered in sleep studies of children, but Owens and colleagues say teachers must be queried.
Educators see the daily impact of sleep problems on children.
Teachers routinely observe children in a different environment and under a different level of stimulation than parents. Teachers in the study said that at least 10 percent of students struggled to stay awake. Compared to parents, teachers also noted higher levels of daytime sleepiness in younger versus older children. I think the 10 percent figure reported by these teachers is just the tip of the iceberg for grade-school children, Owens said. This is an age range that is normally physiologically alert during the day.