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A viral illness, like a cold or a flu, is one of the main culprits affecting the quality of your child’s sleep.
And it makes perfect sense: when your child is ill they'll feel hot, uncomfortable and overtired.
To help you understand the effects of cold and flu on your little one’s sleep, we’ve compiled this helpful guide:
They’ll probably sleep more
You’ll find your child is much more tired than usual when they’re unwell – after all, their body is fighting off a virus, which saps away their energy. And if you’ve got a baby or toddler patient on your hands, you’ll find they'll probably be napping a lot more than normal.
But they’ll wake more frequently too
However, this doesn’t mean they’ll have a quality, restful sleep; children fighting off a virus also tend to wake up more than usual. So if you’re used to your little one sleeping through the night, you’ll find they might wake a few times out of discomfort, or your napping toddler will wake more frequently between naps.
Fever can disrupt their sleep
If your child is hot and uncomfortable, you’ll find their sleep will be fitful and uncomfortable, so use a thermometer to check if they have a fever. Symptoms include fatigue, chills when their temperature rises, and sweats as it falls, so keep your child hydrated and try a pain and fever reliever to ease their discomfort. CALPOL® Infant Suspension is a gentle pain and fever reliever. If you’re particularly worried, however, it’s always worth visiting your GP.
The sniffles can keep them awake
A stuffy, congested head is not conducive to a good night’s sleep, so if your little one is blocked up, it will likely take them much longer to nod off. Before bedtime try clearing their nose with a clean moist cotton bud, sitting with them in a steamy bathroom, and putting their pillow at a slight incline (for babies put a folded towel under their crib’s mattress).
