Published July 21, 2026 at 5:30 AM EDT
This week, Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Meher Farooq about common toddler sleep issues. Dr. Farooq is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and pediatric sleep medicine specialist at MUSC Children’s Health
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I’m Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. The toddler stage of development sometimes ushers in bedtime challenges for parents to contend with. Doctor Meher Farooq is here to talk about sleep issues and solutions concerning children 1 to 3 years of age. Doctor Farooq is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and a pediatric sleep medicine specialist at MUSC. Doctor Farooq, how much sleep do toddlers typically need each day, including naps?
Dr. Farooq: The National Sleep Foundation recommends around 14 to 17 hours of sleep for kids, 0 to 1 year of age and 12 to 15 hours of sleep for ages 1 to 3 years of age, including naps
Conner: And why is it important that toddlers get this recommended amount of sleep each day
Dr. Farooq: Oftentimes, people underestimate the sleep toddlers need. If they don’t get that amount of sleep, then they tend to have various amount of symptoms. And that includes fatigue, sleepiness, impulsivity, hyperactivity. They tend to have more tempers, meltdowns. But sleep overall is so important because it helps with their development, their learning and immune health, and just overall day to day function.
Conner: Toddlers sometimes get into the habit of stalling and negotiating to actually delay bedtime. What are some good strategies to prevent or solve this common issue?
Dr. Farooq: The best way to prevent stalling or bedtime delay is to have wind down time prior to their bedtime. So, at least a half an hour to an hour have a scheduled activity like bathing, reading, brushing their teeth, hugs and all the things that they would typically do to delay the bedtime within that time frame. So, when it’s bedtime, it’s a hard, fast bedtime
Conner: And what sort of nap time adjustments might be needed at some point during the toddler stage to ensure that they’re getting a good night’s sleep
Dr. Farooq: Parents can adjust the nap time any time of the day, depending on their schedule. Usually, what we recommend is the naps to be earlier on in the day, and to be about 1 or 2 times a day
Conner: And when do children start climbing out of their crib? And how can parents be proactive to avoid risk of falls or injury in this toddler scenario?
Dr. Farooq: Whenever they start to walk is when climbing out of the crib can be a concern, usually around 18 months to three years of age. And the best thing families can do is take a stepwise approach. They can lower the mattress in the crib. They can remove the toys that they might be stepping on, to get over the crib itself. Or an easy solution is just to remove the crib and replace it with a mattress on the floor.
Conner: What are some of the other typical issues that might crop up related to sleep for toddlers?
Dr. Farooq: Typically, we see night terrors, confusion, getting out of bed, and sleepwalking, becoming more common at this age
Conner: And what’s the best way for parents to deal with those issues?
Dr. Farooq: So, the best thing that they can do is just redirect them back to their own bed. Try not to wake them up because that actually prolongs the episode. And we typically counsel parents that this is a normal part of childhood development. And it tends to get better over time, and usually goes away completely by puberty
Conner: Doctor Farooq, thanks for talking with us about toddler sleep
Dr. Farooq: Thank you
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I’m Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming
