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Body movement, presence of parents, and the process of falling asleep in toddlers

A total of 30 toddlers were videotaped as they fell asleep and the kinematic properties of their movements were analysed employing a computerised system, based on the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP). We analysed the movements and their association to the length of the falling asleep phase and presence of parents. Results revealed that the movement variables had a significant contribution in explaining the length of the Falling Asleep Phase (FAP). Toddlers who fell asleep within 30 minutes of entering bed displayed movements characterised by low amplitude and gradual slopes, movements such as sucking and caressing. Toddlers who were awake for longer than 30 minutes before they fell asleep displayed movements characterised by high amplitude and abrupt changes, movements such as kicking, banging, and straining. The movement variables predicted the length of the falling asleep phase significantly better than other variables associated with the falling asleep phase, such as duration of music played, duration of using pacifiers/thumbs, and the presence of objects in the bed including bottles. A significant correlation was found between the presence of parents in the toddler’s room and the type of movement that was used; Parents who spent more time in the room had toddlers who revealed less soothing movements and more movements characterised by high amplitudes and abrupt slopes. Possible intervening variables including temperament, chronological age, mental age, sleep parameters, and demographic information did not explain the findings. Practical applications of the study in assisting young children in the falling asleep phase are discussed.