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Every person needs to sleep to maintain optimal mental and physical health, but this rest is particularly vital for youth. While children sleep, their bodies are busy growing and developing. The immune system is also fighting against threats that could cause a wide range of health problems—such as respiratory infections that could cause breathing problems. That’s why kids need much more shuteye than adults. If you’re a parent, here are a few standard recommendations on how long your child should rest to stay strong, healthy, and alert.

Sleep Guidelines for Children

Infants

Babies are rapidly growing, and therefore, require the most amount of sleep out of all other age groups. While there is no one standard recommendation for infants, the general guideline falls between 14 and 17 hours within 24 hours.

Most of this rest will come in short waves, with babies sleeping about two hours at a time between feedings and other activities. However, infants experiencing breathing problems—such as those caused by colds, allergies, or infections—may have trouble getting all the rest they need.

Between four months and a year, infants require less sleep at about 12 to 15 hours per day. Many will start sleeping for longer periods—around five consecutive hours.

Toddlers

Toddlers—or those from one to two years old—should sleep about 11 to 14 hours per day. At this point, children should be resting through the night and taking daily naps to achieve this.

Pre-Schoolers

Children ages three to five years old should spend about 10 to 13 hours sleeping each day. Parents should help their kids maintain a routine sleep schedule—including naps—that accommodates new daily activities, such as going to preschool.

School Age

Once children enter kindergarten, their school schedule will mostly dictate when they go to bed and wake up. Generally, kids between six and 12 years old should sleep nine to 12 hours a day. Many youths will stop napping regularly at this point.

Teenagers

Teens should get between eight and 10 hours of sleep per night. Due to early school times and extracurricular pressures, however, many adolescents won’t meet these requirements. If your teen is experiencing fatigue, irritability, or other unusual behaviors, taking a look at their sleep schedule may be a good start to fixing these issues.

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If your child struggles to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, talk to your primary care provider at Coryell Health Medical Clinic. Through primary care and specialty services in Gatesville, TX, our medical center can diagnose and treat many issues that can impair healthy sleep for children and adults—including breathing problems, diabetes, and obesity.

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, and it is estimated to affect 1 in 13 Americans. While specific individuals may face a higher risk of the disease, it can affect anyone. Given this prevalence, everyone should know how to recognize the condition so they can seek proper care from a qualified physician. To help you avoid serious breathing problems, here are five common signs you should talk to a doctor about asthma.

5 Asthma Warning Signs Every Person Should Know

1. Shortness of Breath

Breathing problems—such as short, rapid inhales and exhales—are the calling cards of asthma. When people have asthma attacks, their airways swell or become congested, making it challenging to take normal breaths. In some cases, the inflammation may also lead to chest pain or tightness. These problems typically appear or worsen if the lungs are irritated—such as during allergy season or when you exercise.

2. Wheezing

When air cannot pass through the airways properly, it can lead to wheezing. Typically, wheezing causes individuals to whistle when they breathe. In other cases, respiration may sound faint or raspy.

3. Excessive Mucus Production

The body’s immune system responds to inflammation by producing mucus. Usually, mucus helps the body expel irritants from the lungs. But when you have asthma, excess mucus production will make you feel congested and unable to breathe.

4. Persistent Cough

An ongoing cough is a sign of many problems—including severe cold, flu, or strep throat infection. But if the problem persists for weeks or months—and gets worse at night when inflammation increases—asthma could be to blame. Some individuals may have a unique form of the condition, known as cough-variant asthma, which causes the individual to experience dry, non-productive coughing when exposed to triggers like pollen or cigarette smoke.

5. Ongoing Fatigue

When you have regular breathing problems, your body won’t get the oxygen it needs to replenish cells and support muscle function. As a result, you will likely feel fatigued and sore—even if you feel well-rested or haven’t been active.

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Since breathing problems can occur for many different reasons, you may need to have your symptoms reviewed by a qualified physician. Coryell Health in Gatesville, TX, is staffed by specialists, our team can accurately diagnoses asthma using pulmonary function tests. Count on this compassionate team to simplify every step of your treatment plan so you’ll feel confident about using a rescue inhaler, nebulizer, or asthma maintenance medication. To learn more about the chronic conditions they treat—including allergies, diabetes, and arthritis—visit this clinic online. For appointments, call (254) 865-2166.