sleep dependencies Archives - Dr Keira Moore, BCBA-D

Time-Based Visiting: A gentle approach to independent sleeping

A few posts ago we talked about sleep dependencies and how healthy sleep dependencies can make for a good night’s sleep, while unhealthy sleep dependencies can cause all sorts of problems. One of the most prevalent unhealthy sleep dependencies that I see with children is parent presence. Many children need a parent with them in order to fall asleep, and if the parent manages to sneak out once they fall asleep, they tend to wake back up later in the night and need their parent again. Teaching your child how to fall asleep independently is a tough job, but time-based visiting is a great gentle tactic that can help! In my last blog post, we talked about why the “cry it out” method often fails. Rather than just going cold turkey and hoping you and your child can survive the first few nights, there are some gradual and gentle methods you can try instead. One of my favorites is called time-based visiting. In this method, the caregiver does check-ins and provides brief attention, according to a schedule, regardless of the child’s behavior. I’ve found time-based visiting to be incredibly effective, and reasonably easy for parents to implement, but I think it’s essential [...]

The Four Main Causes of Almost All Sleep Problems

Sleep: we all know we need it, we all know it’s vitally important to our health and well-being; but for some adults and children sleep can be so elusive. From difficulty falling asleep, to problems staying asleep, sleep issues can leave you feeling frustrated and exhausted. By the time most people contact me in search of sleep help, they are feeling hopeless. Many sleep-deprived adults and parents of children with sleep problems struggle to get to the bottom of what’s actually causing sleep problems, and often (incorrectly) assume that sleep problems are medical or biological in nature. Luckily, most sleep problems are actually behavioral in nature, and believe it or not, there tends to be only four main underlying issues that cause just about every sleep problem I see in my practice. My goal in this week’s blog post is to help you understand the four main causes of sleep problems so you can identify where your (or your child’s) sleep might be getting off track. Types of sleep problems (and why it doesn’t always matter what the problem looks like) Sleep challenges can present in many forms, including difficulty falling asleep, middle-of-the-night awakenings, early wakings, insomnia, night terrors, nightmares, restless [...]