Resolving to Become – Aquamom!

One mom’s story of how her son’s swim meets tested the limits of her abilities as a parental super hero

By Anna Seip

You hear a lot about soccer moms, but I’m not one of them. My role is more like Aquamom. No, I can’t breathe underwater. Nor do I possess superhuman swimming skills. My talents are even more amazing: I chauffeur my 12-year-old son to swim practice Monday through Friday and then sit through a five-hour swim meet on Saturday. Every week.

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Why Sleep Medication Doesn’t Work for Teens

By Emily Puro

Dr. Joshua Ramseyer, director of the Legacy Sleep Disorders Center, sees many teens who have tried medication to promote sleep without success. That’s because they don’t suffer from insomnia, he says, they have Delayed Sleep Phase.

“If you give a kid (with Delayed Sleep Phase) sleep medication at 10 o’clock at night,” he says, “of course it’s not going to work. It’s like taking sleep medication in the middle of the afternoon for one of us. You have to take it proximal to a realistic sleep time.” Instead, we need to help them advance their phase to a more reasonable schedule with a consistent wake time, bright morning light, low evening light, and assistance in managing their schedules and their stress levels.

Teens – To Nap or Not to Nap

By Emily Puro

Naps can be helpful for sleep deprived teens as long as they don’t sleep long enough to delay bedtime. Instead, encourage power naps. “Research shows a 20 or 30 minute nap can be very restorative,” says Dr. Kyle Johnson, co-director of the OHSU Sleep Disorders Program at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Make sure they set their alarm for 30 minutes and get up when the alarm sounds. If they can’t do it, naps should be avoided.

Co-sleeping – Societal Stigma?

By Emily Puro

Some co-sleeping families find there’s a stigma attached to sharing a family bed in our Western culture.

“I think it really does create a closeness for us, (but) I struggle with our society versus what we do,” says Gresham mom Sarah Manlupig, whose three children, 5, 4 and 5 months share their parents’ bed in various configurations on any given night.

“Our society and our culture say it’s wrong and you shouldn’t do it. …I just have to say, ‘You know what? It works for us. It works for our kids.’ They are, I think, more secure and more happy sleeping with us.”

Recognizing Sleep Apnea in Children

By Emily Puro

Sleep specialists are on a mission to raise awareness about obstructive sleep apnea in children.

“It is under recognized and can lead to significant difficulties,” says Dr. Kyle Johnson, MD, co-director of the OHSU Sleep Disorders Program at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

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Sleepless in Portland
Our January issue Ages & Stages feature contains a wealth of information on why sleep is so important for our children – and how we can ensure that they get enough of it. Click here to read that article (beginning on page 12).

We offer the following additional topics related to kids and sleep: