Sick Kids & Sleep: How to Care for Your Amazing Sleeper When They’re Under the Weather
It’s that time of year! Kennedy’s just gotten over a nasty cold, and Carmen’s been diagnosed with pneumonia. I know that so many of you can relate, so I figured it was time for another post on sick kids and sleep.
I’ve seen it all: maybe you’ve just started sleep training, and your child falls ill. Or, perhaps you’re on a good routine, your child is sleeping through the night, and naps are going great. Then, they get sick.
What should you do? Abandon everything and try again later, or try to stick to the routine?
Well, first evaluate how sick they are. Are we talking about some sniffles, or projectile vomiting? If it’s a mild cold, it’s probably better for everyone to continue with business as usual. After all, your kiddo needs rest to get better. If they aren’t upset or uncomfortable, why fix what isn’t broken? They might need a humidifier in their room or a bit of extra help with the old snot-sucker, but otherwise, if they’re not upset, let them be. (And maybe be prepared for a bit of a change in schedule, to allow them time to get some extra sleep.)
On the other hand, if we’re talking toilet dashes, high fevers or bad coughs, then all bets are off. Your sick kid needs you. Unfortunately, that will probably mean they’re up a bunch in the night. They might want to take an extra nap throughout the day, or sleep late and throw off their normal schedule. It’s okay. Relax. They will get back on track once they’re feeling better.
Tips for Staying as “On-Track” as Possible:
Try not to create new habits. They’re often hard to ditch after the illness has passed. But that said, you also just need to do what’s right in the moment. I always say to clients: “do everything that’s needed, and nothing that’s not.”
If your child gets sick while you’re actively sleep training, you’ll probably need to pause for a few days. Again, evaluate how sick they are and then go from there.
As soon as everyone’s well enough, dive right back into your normal sleep habits. Don’t drag it out.
Depending on the age of your kiddo (and how sick they were), you might need to do a one- or two-night reset once they’re better. Use the same method as in your previous sleep plan.
The gist:
Intervene as much as you need to to care for your little sicky. (Don’t we all need some extra TLC when we’re sick?) But match your level of intervention (how far. you stray from your usual plan) to their level of discomfort. This makes getting back to your routine MUCH easier when the time comes.
-Lindsay
This post was originally published on January 21, 2020.
Edited October 3, 2023.