Description

In our first mailbag episode, Arielle and I take a deep dive into your most pressing sleep-related questions, from the perfect setup for your toddler’s room to managing sleep challenges in children with autism. We took YOUR questions from email and Instagram. 

Timestamps:

• [00:02:00] “What should the light setup be in a toddler’s room?”
• [00:03:23] “Can you immediately stop using a pacifier when sleep training?”
• [00:05:39] “How to introduce room sharing?”
• [00:08:31] “Tips for jet lag when flying overseas with kids?”
• [00:11:30] “How much movement during sleep is typical in an elementary schooler?”
• [00:15:05] “Is it okay to use melatonin for sleep issues in kids?”
• [00:22:44] “How to manage bedtime for children with autism?”
• [00:28:47] “Dealing with night nursing and weaning issues.”
• [00:36:00] “How do we break the cycle of bottle feeding and rocking to sleep for a 2-year-old?”
• [00:39:00] “Will removing a nighttime sleep crutch result in split nights?”
• [00:51:27] “Should weekend naps match daycare schedule for a 6-month-old?”
• [00:53:10] “Recommendations for a 3-year-old inconsistent in taking naps.”
• [00:55:00] “How to handle a baby’s strong preference for one parent at bedtime.”
• [00:57:16] “Helping a 6-year-old with congenital heart disease to sleep better.”

Notable Quotes from the Episode:

• “It should be dark enough in your kid’s room that you can’t read a book by the light.” – Dr. Craig Canapari
• “The sooner you can eliminate the pacifier, the better.” – Arielle Greenleaf
• “Kids adjust more quickly to new time zones than adults do.” – Dr. Craig Canapari
• “Melatonin is not a magic bullet. It’s part of a broader strategy.” – Dr. Craig Canapari
• “Natural light is very helpful for adjusting to new time zones.” – Arielle Greenleaf
• “Being a little bit careful with screens before bedtime can help with jet lag.” – Dr. Craig Canapari
• “Restless leg syndrome in kids is typically associated with both sensory and sleep issues.” – Dr. Craig Canapari
• “Swap your child’s fear of not having the pacifier with germophobia and you’re all set.” – Dr. Craig Canapari, humorously suggesting a strategy for weaning off pacifiers.

Links

• Sleep edit episode with Dr. Garay
• Room sharing links: Dr Canapari article in the NYT ; Dr Canapari article on his website
• Melatonin for Children: A Guide for Parents
• Melatonin overdoses are on the rise: why parents should worry
• Solving Sleep Problems in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Guide for Frazzled Families
• How to stop night feeds
• AAP Safe Sleep Guideline 2022
• Want to stop cosleeping? Here’s how
• List of sleep training methods
• Early morning awakenings: what to do about them

Got sleep questions? Drop us a line for a future episode

Transcript

[00:00:00] Craig Canapari MD: Welcome to the Sleep Edit, a podcast devoted to helping tired kids and parents sleep better. We focus on actionable evidence-based sleep advice, so everyone in your home can sleep through the night. Now, a quick disclaimer, this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice.
[00:00:27] No doctor patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast and any associated video content are at the user’s own risk. The content on the show is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical help for any medical condition they have.
[00:00:52] Or that their children may have, they should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. Nothing stated here [00:01:00] reflects the views of our employers or the employees of our guests. Enjoy the show.
[00:01:09] Okay, welcome back to the sleep edit. This is going to be our first, I don’t know if it’s ask us anything.
[00:01:16] Mailbag episode. I am Dr. Craig Canapari.
[00:01:20] Arielle Greenleaf: I’m Ariel Greenleaf, certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant.
[00:01:24]
[00:01:25] Arielle Greenleaf: Oh
[00:01:25] Craig Canapari MD: we asked you these few questions and my son said these
[00:01:29] Arielle Greenleaf: Yeah.
[00:01:30] Craig Canapari MD: which I think is actually incorrect.
[00:01:32] Arielle Greenleaf: deese nutz, yeah.
[00:01:34] Craig Canapari MD: But
[00:01:34] Arielle Greenleaf: he has a lot to learn.
[00:01:36] Craig Canapari MD: it was the only one like that I got. We solicited questions on Instagram via email.
[00:01:42] We also have a email for the show people can send questions to for future episodes, the Sleep Edit show@gmail.com. Let’s get into it. Let’s go through these Instagram ones first. They’re short and
[00:01:57] Arielle Greenleaf: All right.
[00:01:59] Craig Canapari MD: [00:02:00] Okay. What should the light set up be in a toddler’s room?
[00:02:04] Arielle Greenleaf: The light set up.
[00:02:06] Craig Canapari MD: You know what, I get this a lot actually. And what I would say to parents is, pitch black is the best but a lot of toddlers and younger kids like nightlights my kind of rule of thumb is first of all, it should be dark enough in your kid’s room that you can’t read while you’re sitting in the room.
[00:02:23] Read a book. And second of all, if your child insists on having a light, make it so the light is not shining directly in their eyes, you can sometimes put a lamp behind a piece of furniture, et cetera. The less the better.
[00:02:35] Arielle Greenleaf: Yeah, I think sometimes people come to me and Their problem is, oh he has to sleep with the light on And obviously that’s just not conducive to healthy sleep.
[00:02:47] Craig Canapari MD: Yeah. And there’s lots of different things you can do. I think in the last episode with Dr. Gray, we talked a lot about resources for fear of the dark. Can be very useful.
[00:02:57] Arielle Greenleaf: Yes, absolutely. I [00:03:00] think It’s best to say as dark as possible until your child says something about it. And they may never say something about it, but it may become a thing around the toddler years. But certainly an infant is not afraid of the dark.
[00:03:15] Craig Canapari MD: Yeah. So Ariel...