From bedtime tantrums to bedwetting, sleep problems can be one of the biggest sources of worry and frustration for parents of children with special needs. Help is here in this down-to-earth, nonjudgmental guide, packed with widely tested, easy-to-use techniques that work for all children, with and without disabilities. This fully updated edition includes help for parents who usually struggle with nighttime problems. Without preaching or proposing a "one right way" to solve problems, psychologist and father Mark Durand helps families tackle sleep issues with optimism and proven strategies drawn from clinical and personal experience. A must-own for tired parents everywhere, this warm and wise guidebook will put sleep problems to bed and help whole families get the rest they need. The Better-Sleep Guide For Every Family: Highly effective strategies for children with special needs such as autism, Tourette syndrome, and cerebral palsy Research-based solutions to even the toughest nighttime challenges Tested with thousands of families Respects individual differences in families - offers different options to fit different parenting philosophies Helps parents develop a positive outlook and attitude as they work to resolve their child's challenges Includes help for parents who struggle with their own nighttime problems Flexible - parents can pick and choose strategies and modify them as needed Valuable background information on understanding and assessing sleep problems Practical Materials: Sleep Diary Self-Talk Log Behaviour Log Sleep Problems Scale Plus annotated lists of additional sleep resources Solve Sleep Issues Like: Bedtime tantrums Night waking Sleep terrors Bed wetting Sleep schedule problems Sleepwalking and sleep talking Insomnia Tooth-grinding Periodic limb movements
About the Reproducible Forms About the Author Preface to the Revised Edition Preface to the First Edition Acknowledgments I. The Nature of Sleep and Its Problems 1. An Overview of Sleep How Much Sleep Do We Need? When Are Owls and Larks Not Birds? What Is Sleep? What Is Our Biological Clock? How Does Our Temperature Affect Sleep? Conclusion 2. Sleep Problems How Common Are Sleep Problems? How Serious Are These Problems? When Does Sleep Become a Problem? Conclusion II. Assessing Sleep Problems 3. Identifying the Sleep Problem Steps to Understanding the Problem Sleep Diary Behavior Log Sleep Interview Other Possible Causes A Parent's Dilemma Conclusion 4. Identifying Obstacles to Successful Treatment Interfering Thoughts Conclusion III. Strategies for Change 5. An Optimistic Approach to Improving Sleep Disputation Distraction Substitution Conclusion 6. Good Sleep Habits The Good Sleep Habits Checklist Bedtime Routines Regular Sleep Times Caffeine Alcohol and Tobacco Sleep and Your Diet Exercise, Activity, and Sleep The Bed and the Bedroom Conclusion 7. Help for Bedtime Problems Graduated Extinction Bedtime Fading Comparing Graduated Extinction and Bedtime Fading Combining Plans with Medication When Sleep Problems Rear Their Ugly Heads. Again Begin at Bedtime Conclusion 8. Sleeping Through the Night Causes of Night Waking Waking without Disruption Disruptive Night Waking Conclusion 9. Sleeping at the Wrong Times Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome Non-24 Hour Sleep-Wake Cycles Napping and Poor Sleep Habits Conclusion 10. Nightmares, Sleep Terrors and Other Related Problems Nightmares Sleep Terrors Sleep Walking and Sleep Talking Sleep Eating Conclusion 11. Excessive Sleepiness Hypersomnia Narcolepsy Breathing Problems Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Movement-Related Sleep Problems Conclusion 12. Other Nighttime Difficulties Bed-wetting Problems with Anxiety Problems with Depression Sleep-Related Headaches Nighttime Tooth-Grinding Conclusion 13. Daytime Behavior Problems Why Do Children Have Behavior Problems? The Seven ""C's"" for Changing Behavior Conclusion: A Caution About Behavior Problems 14. Sleep and Medications Barbiturates Benzodiazepines Antihistamines Other Sleep-Inducing Medications Antidepressants Promoting Wakefulness Conclusion: What Do You Recommend? 15. Preventing Sleep Problems Developmental Changes in Sleep Prevention Strategies Conclusion: The Beginning of Better Nights and Better Days A. Support Groups and Associations B. Internet Sleep Resources C. Accredited Sleep Disorders Centers D. Thoughts Quiz E. Self-Talk Journal F. Sleep Diary G. Behavior Log H. Albany Sleep Problems Scale (ASPS) Index
