Modern strategies for settling infants to sleep A comparison between sleep-disturbed and non-sleep-disturbed infants

Background Sleep disturbances are quite common in infancy and have negative consequences for both child and parents. While the use of strategies to settle infants to sleep and their relationship to infantile sleep problems has already been proven, modern strategies such as apps have not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of electronic devices, apps, and other strategies to settle infants to sleep in two different groups: parents of infants with sleep problems and parents of infants without sleep problems. Methods The study included 182 parents of infants aged 12 to 18 months, whereby 91 of the children suffered from sleep problems (SP) and 91 were healthy sleepers and had no sleep problem (NoSP). They filled in various questionnaires regarding infant sleep problems (Infant Sleep Questionnaire, ISQ), and strategies they use to settle their infant to sleep at bedtime and at night were assessed by the revised version of the Parental Interactive Bedtime Behavior Scale (PIBBS-R). Furthermore, sleep help-seeking behavior was evaluated. Results Parents of children with SP used more active physical comforting, whereas parents of NoSP children encouraged the child's autonomy. Social comforting at bedtime was the most used strategy, followed by using sounds at bedtime and at night. Parents of SP infants used fewer apps at bedtime than parents with NoSP infants. The groups did not differ regarding sleep-related digital or printed media advices. However, parents of SP children used more institutional support. Conclusion These results highlight the importance of parental sleep-related behavior. For prevention and early intervention, parents should be trained regarding sleep-related supportive behavior without suppressing the child's autonomy-related development.