MANAGEMENT OF INFANT SLEEP DISTURBANCE - A REVIEW

Infant sleep disturbance affects between 15 and 35% of infants and their parents. Despite the significance of the problem there exists little guidance for clinicians dealing with this group. Interventions advocated by the literature range from spanking to medication. Normal sleep state development in infants and the influence of temperament is described, as are infancy and infant sleep disturbance. Treatment regimes that have been subjected to some degree of empirical evaluation are reviewed. These have been the pharmacological approaches, and from a behavioral perspective, scheduled awakening, extinction and its modifications, stimulus control, and finally studies employing a variety of methods. Treatment outcomes using these techniques are discussed in relation to practical considerations, side effects, and acceptability to parents. The single prevention evaluation is described, as is the need for further research in this area.