Sleep and Your Special Needs Child

Description

Sleep is vital for children's well-being. Without enough sleep their health, mood, behaviour and learning ability may all be impaired. Research shows that children with additional needs are more likely to have sleep disorders than typically developing children, and that without intervention these problems will persist. Victoria Dawson is a successful sleep practitioner and founder of the Children's Sleep Charity. Here, together with health writer Antonia Chitty, she shares her own experiences, those of other sleep experts and those of parents. While most parents of babies expect sleep problems to resolve within months, parents of children with special needs can find them lasting into adolescence and beyond. This is a pressing issue for parents, as disturbed sleep can cause depression, relationship problems and a weakening of the immune system. The majority of parents receive little or no help with sleep problems, and few families have access to sleep practitioners. This book addresses sleep problems using a highly successful behavioural and cognitive approach to sleep management, and is the first book to explain these approaches in detail. The practical advice contained is invaluable for parents who want to feel more in control and more confident about tackling sleep issues in a way that is appropriate for their child.

Antonia Chitty has been writing on health for more than fifteen years, and has done so for books, national charities and voluntary organizations. She has three children and lives with her husband, David, on the Sussex coast. Victoria Dawson is both a sleep practitioner and highly trained special educational needs teacher. She is the founder of the Children's Sleep Charity and has written sleep-training materials for Scope. She writes in the national press and presents at conferences across the UK.

'Victoria Dawson is founder of the Children's Sleep Charity and Antonia Chitty is a health writer. They address sleep problems using a highly successful behavioural and cognitive approach to sleep management. It is the first book to explain these approaches in detail.' Nursery World 'Parents with a special-needs child will appreciate this discovery. Included are many narratives that add to both understanding the topic and giving much-needed support. Recommended.' Library Journal 'The joy of the books are that they are useful for special needs and also non special needs children. By talking through various developmental stages and also where those stages get "stuck", there is plenty to learn for all parents...a great, practical read for all families.' Practically Imperfect Parenting