Sleep deprivation can have a devastating impact on all aspects of a child's development and the evidence suggests sleep problems among children and young people are on the rise.
Recent years have seen a sharp spike in the number of hospital admissions for sleep disorders in under-16s. Meanwhile, an increase in the number of children prescribed the hormone melatonin to help them sleep has also been greeted with concern. "It has been described as a public health crisis," says child sleep consultant Lauren Peacock from the consultancy Little Sleep Stars.
Ruth Silverman, a former health visitor who has developed training on sleep issues for professionals, believes everyone working with children and young people should be worried. "Sleep impacts everything," she stresses. "Everyone seeing children and young people on a regular basis should be able to support them to make healthy choices not just around eating and exercise but also sleep."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
