Management of infant sleep problems in a residential unit |
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Authors: | R LEESON J BARBOUR D ROMANIUK R WARR |
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Institution: | Child, Adolescent &Family Health Service, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
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Abstract: | Torrens House provides a short residential programme for families with a baby (8–12 months of age) identified by parents as having a sleep problem such as waking frequently at night and being difficult to settle. The programme involves the promotion of infant self-settling by the use of a controlled crying technique, together with wrapping, cessation of night feeds and establishment of a day-time routine. Twenty families (with 23 babies) were followed through the programme and for 3 months afterwards. There were significant decreases in the number of times the babies woke, the number of night-feeds and the length of time awake at night at 1 month follow-up, with a reduction in depressive symptomatology of the parents and a perceived improvement in their infants' behaviour. Twenty of the 23 babies were sleeping well at 3 month follow-up. |
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Keywords: | infants maternal depression night-waking sleep problems |
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