Why hiring a sleep consultant is the best gift you could give your child with special needs.
The idea of hiring a sleep coach might seem unnecessary or a luxury. The idea of paying $400 and hiring an expert to design a sleep training program for a child at first might seem pricey. However, looking at the big picture sheds a different light on the service, and shows it’s actually a great bargain:
Consider the costs associated with a lack of sleep for you and your child
Sleep deprivation can greatly affect cognitive function – you and your child will literally not be thinking clearly if you aren’t getting your sleep. For a child that has neurodevelopmental issues, this can be detrimental. Brain studies show that lack of sleep makes us more forgetful, and makes learning and focusing more challenging. For children, it affects cognition, behavior, sensory perception and more.
Parents know educational success is essential, and will pay for tutors, therapists and the best schools if they feel it will help their child reach their potential. All of these services can cost thousands of dollars a year – an astronomical amount compared to the several hundred dollars that could help their child get a restful, full night’s sleep every night. Sleep training is relatively cheap in comparison and is necessary to help a child learn and focus throughout the day.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that lack of sleep can actually kill brain cells and is bad for brain development – something little kids can’t afford. The whole family needs to sleep – your body and brain depend on it!
Sleep is essential for your health and your child’s health
When you don’t sleep, it’s easier for you to get sick. Illness is disastrous for a child with special needs, and if often takes much longer for them to bounce back. For parents, it means missing out on work and the financial costs that come with illness.
Statistics show that the average American worker misses the equivalent of 11 days of work due to sleeplessness (and many of these employees don’t have young kids!). But, these illnesses are trivial when you consider the long term effects of sleep deprivation. Studies show not getting enough rest leads to an increase in likelihood of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke later in life.
For little kids, sleep deprivation can slow down production of human growth hormone – this not is something any child can afford.
Look at sleep training as preventative medicine, and far less expensive than illness, missed work, doctor’s visits, medications and missing school. The financial and emotional costs that come aren’t worth it.
Consider the mental costs of not getting enough sleep.
On the short term, your child is more likely to be cranky and unhappy. Studies show that a lack of sleep has a massive impact on our mental health and happiness. People who sleep less than 6 hours nightly can develop depression and anxiety symptoms.
Don’t you owe it to yourself, your child and your partner to feel rested and happy?
If you have feelings of depression or anxiety, you cannot possibly be at your best for those who rely on you.
To be the best parent or spouse that you can be, you need sleep. Parents tell me that when they and their little ones don’t sleep, their relationship with their partner pays the price. On a not totally unrelated note, and something worth considering, is that less sleep has been shown to reduce libido – but that’s a subject for another article!
So we’ve established that you and your family need your sleep. Is the $400 price tag for sleep training worth that?
Before disregarding it as a possibility, consider the following:
Is your child’s health worth it?
Is your health worth it?
What about your marriage?
Your child’s developmental success?
I’m sure that all of these things are invaluable to you – you would say that each of them alone is worth everything.
All of a sudden, a few hundred dollars for a plan and peace of mind seems like pocket change.
Sleep training is an investment in your family’s future. Sleep training with a certified sleep consultant is the best gift you can give your child, not to mention yourself.
You both deserve it.
Melissa Doman specializes in sleep training for kids with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and more. If you’re ready for a sleep training plan for your child with special needs, book your discovery call today!
Resources:
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/10-results-sleep-loss#1
The High Cost of Bad Sleep: $63 Billion Per Year
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/high-octane-women/201407/10-frightening-costs-sleep-loss
