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A 25-Hour Day?
Children and Circadian Rhythms
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
A Child's Clock
Children also have an internal clock/pacemaker. From birth, an infant has his or her own rhythm, which, over time, will develop and closely resemble an adult's 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythm disorders in infants and toddlers are quite common and are often referred to as "reversing day and night." Although this altered pattern is more bothersome for parents than children, the pattern or rhythm needs to be "fixed" to avoid a circadian rhythm disorder to continue into childhood. "A child's rhythm should be very close to an adult 24-hour rhythm between 18 months and 4 years of age," says Sheldon. "However, a child's rhythm can tend to drift more often and may not remain stable until closer to the age of 4. There is a need for concern and intervention if a child has not developed the traditional 24-hour rhythm by their fifth birthday. Connie Myers of Sandy, Utah discovered that her fourth child was born with a reversed schedule. "She was born in Switzerland just before we moved back to the United States," she says. "We always said that she was born on American time. I'd be up all day with the older kids while she slept -- then I'd be up all night with her while the big kids and my husband slept. I don't think I slept more than an hour at a time. When we moved to the United States, her schedule fit right in and made the adjustment a pleasure. I don't know how practical my solution is because not many people can arrange an around-the-world move to accommodate their child's schedule.
Correcting Circadian Rhythm Disorders
Traditionally, if a parent suspects their child is having a problem sleeping, they may alter the child's bedtime, having them go to bed earlier. According to Sheldon, the bedtime isn't what is important in correcting a circadian rhythm disorder. "The morning wake up time is the most important time for resetting the clock everyday -- not the bedtime," says Sheldon. "It is very important for those youngsters who have or seem to be developing a circadian rhythm disorder is a firmly fixed wake up time. Firmly not rigidly fixed because sleeping an hour later is OK but sleeping three or four hours later on Saturday or Sunday is going to cause the delay to continue. Their bodies will then reset their clocks everyday to this rhythm and the delay will decrease."
