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Child sleep problems often linked to other problem

Bergenfield, New Jersey - January 13, 2012

Does your baby have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Most parents think sleep issues are a part of infancy that will soon pass, but a new study says differently.  

Kristen Morrell hasn't had a good night's sleep in years. Her two year-old, Daniel, has trouble sleeping  through the night. "He only got maybe four hours of sleep," she said. "He'd just be tossing and turning and whining.

And Kristen's not alone.  Ohio researchers found 10-percent of infants and toddlers have sleep problems at some point including trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, staying in their own beds and having nightmares. They also found that even by age three, 21-percent of children were still not getting a good night's rest.

"If you had a child who had sleep problems at six months of age, they were basically three times as likely to have a persistent sleep problem," said Dr. Pakkay Ngai with the Hackensack University Medical Center.

The study also shows more than 12-percent of young children snore, but surprisingly, many parents didn't consider that something to be concerned about.

"A lot of people equate snoring with getting a good quality sleep but that's actually a sign that there's some turbulence in the way that child breathes, so that's something that needs to be checked out,"  Dr. Ngai said.

It turns out that was Daniel's problem. He was suffering from sleep apnea. His adenoids and tonsils were removed and he has ear tubes now so he can breath easier.

"He seems more energized and can go longer hours without being cranky," said Morrell.

And finally giving everyone some much-needed rest.  

Alison Harmelin - CBS News