How a jigsaw helps a child to sleep tight

How a jigsaw helps a child to sleep tight. It's a parenting skill that seems to be in retreat in this age of non-stop television.

Mothers and fathers appear to have increasing difficulties getting their children off to sleep in the evening - and then ensuring they don't keep waking through the night.

The cost can be measured in the stress couples suffer as their nights are disrupted and in the millions of pounds a year the Health Service spends in treating children's sleeping disorders.

But help for the NHS and fatigued parents is at hand.

According to findings unveiled yesterday, simply switching off the television and pulling out a jigsaw is just the ticket in helping to get restless children to sleep.

The 'settling routine' has been developed by health visitors.

They encourage parents to switch off the television, dim the lights and interest their child in a more soothing activity such as play bricks or a jigsaw.

The series of basic steps should be carried out in a 'winding-down' hour leading up to bedtime and should finish up with supper and a sleep-inducing soak in the bath.

While some might say it is just old-fashioned common sense, the Edinburgh International Science Festival was told that such simple bedtime routines could help save the NHS up to £50million a year in Scotland alone.

That figure could easily rise to hundreds of millions if the routines were applied across Britain.

Research suggests that up to 30 per cent of children under of five are affected by behavioural sleep problems.

The health visitors created the relaxing routine while running sleep clinics for children and parents.

Jackie McGreavey, of the Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust, said: 'The work at the sleep clinic isn't rocket science, but it really works.

'A lot of what we do is good, oldfashioned common sense, but the point is many parents, particularly mothers, desperately need this help.

'As well as being able to help them, the sleep clinics could also save the NHS a lot of money.'

The Tayside research suggests the key to the settling routine's success is changing the behaviour of the child from 'seeker' to 'selfsoother'.

This includes switching off the television, turning the lights low and engaging the child in hand-eye coordinating play. ( dailymail.co.uk )