BEARS Sleep Questionnaire
BEARS is a user-friendly screening tool to help identify sleep problems in children. Ask yourself these questions.
B – Bedtime
- Does my child have trouble going to bed? Or trouble falling asleep?
E – Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Is my child difficult to awaken in the morning?
- Does my child seem sleepy or groggy during the day?
- Does my child often seem tired during the day? (In children, tired may mean moody, hyperactive, “out-of-it”, as well as sleepy.)
A – Awakening during the night
- Does my child awaken during the night and have trouble going back to sleep?
- Is anything else interrupting my child’s sleep?
R – Regularity and duration of sleep
- How many hours of sleep does my child need at this age?
- What time does my child go to bed and get up on weekdays? On weekends?
- Does this allow my child to get enough sleep every day?
S – Snoring
- Does my child snore? Loudly? Every Night?
- Does my child stop breathing, gasp, or choke during sleep?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your child may have a sleep problem that should be discussed with your provider or pediatric sleep specialist.
Source: “A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep: Diagnosis and Management of Sleep Problems” by Jodi A. Mindell and Judith A. Owens; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins