Avoiding phones, TV and fizzy drinks part of successful program to help families suffering severely disturbed nights, reports the Guardian.

NHS staff have joined forces with Sheffield council and the Children’s Sleep Charity to help families in which a child has sleep difficulties linked to ADHD or other disorders, trauma, adoption or fostering. After a pilot in 2016 involving 40 families, the technique was extended across the city to all such vulnerable children.

Families have a meeting with a nurse or health visitor, then start to implement an action plan at home. They then receive a weekly phone call from a health professional to check on progress and offer extra advice.

“It’s really difficult to get children to adapt to the new routine,” Elphick added. “A lot of parents have read stuff online about tackling children’s sleep problems but failed. This program takes two to three weeks of perseverance, and it often gets worse before it gets better.

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