In Sleep Better!, Mark Durand, professor and chair of psychology at the University of Albany, State University of New York, describes sleep problems commonly found in children with special needs. He also provides tested strategies for change.

Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, sleeping at the wrong times, nightmares and sleep terrors, excessive sleepiness, bedwetting, daytime behavior problems such as impulsivity, and medications, are among the problems he discusses.

He includes a sleep diary and behavior log, particularly useful to show parents potential sources of problems that can be corrected. A sleep diary for a mentally retarded boy whose parents and teachers were concerned about his daytime fatigue, for example, showed that he had no set bedtime. One mother complained that her child had a hard time settling down. She inadvertently contributed to the problem by encouraging evening activity in hopes of wearing him out.

Many children with special needs have more than one problem. Those with difficulty at bedtime may wake frequently in the night, Durand notes, and suffer from nightmares or sleep terrors. Research shows, he says, that addressing bedtime problems first is the most effective strategy.

This conversationally written book includes numerous illustrative anecdotes. It also provides a list of support groups and associations, sleep pages on the Internet, accredited sleep disorders centers, and additional readings.