Q: “Our 18-month-old has had a long series of sicknesses: runny nose, cough, croup, ear infections and constipation. She’s better now but still not sleeping well. She wakes up every 2 to 3 hours for a bottle and has trouble getting back to sleep. We’re all exhausted.”

A: It is possible that your daughter’s string of illnesses has made it difficult for her to establish mature sleep patterns. Certain developmental milestones (such as walking) can also disrupt sleep patterns.

Temperament also plays a lifelong role in how well individuals sleep. Too much napping during the day can also affect nighttime sleep. Talk to your pediatrician about the problem and steps you can take to resolve it.

Recommendations may include conditioning your daughter to an object (a favorite stuffed animal), sound (a music box) or other environmental element that she can rely on to help her get back to sleep.

The goal is to help her find a soothing way to fall back to sleep on her own so that she can develop a healthy pattern of restful sleep.

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