Better Nights, Better Days
for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
This program is specifically developed for children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Better Nights, Better Days
for children with neurodevelopmental disorders has been specifically developed by a team of sleep experts and child health experts from across Canada. The program has specific steams for parents of children with a primary diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Cerebral Palsy (CP), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), as well as a general stream for children with NDD other than ADHD, ASD, CP or FASD.
Up to 90% of children with neurodevelopmental disorders experience sleep problems
Children may have trouble settling down at the end of the day, falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking too early. These issues are known as "insomnia”.
Children need to sleep well
Poor sleep affects children’s physical and psychosocial health. For children with a neurodevelopmental disorder, this can contribute to increased symptom presentation. Sleep problems can also interfere with the effectiveness of interventions for language development and positive behaviour supports.
When children get adequate sleep, their quality of life improves around the clock - better behavioural and emotional regulation, better mood, and better school performance! A better night’s sleep can result in improved health and well-being for the entire family.
Few children receive treatment for sleep problems
Those who do, particularly children with neurodevelopmental disorders, often receive inappropriate treatment such as medication, which may have side effects. Very few children receive behavioural treatment options, which are proven to work. Parents may not have the time or resources to access these treatments, and many health care providers do not have the training to provide these treatments.
A team of clinicians and scientists - many of them parents themselves - developed the Better Nights, Better Daysprogram and will be measuring its success
The program is based on behavioural principles - increasing and encouraging positive behaviours that will help children learn to settle down more quickly at bedtime and achieve a better quality of sleep throughout the night.
Better Nights, Better Days
may help provide a more accessible way of delivering health care