Since it was published 20 years ago, “Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems,” has offered parents advice on how to help their children fall asleep — and stay asleep. In the revised version, Dr. Richard Ferber incorporates the latest research on sleep problems from birth to adolescence. And he recommends several practical solutions for such problems as sleepwalking, nightmares, and bet-wetting. Dr. Ferber was invited on “Today” to discuss his book. Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1
At the End of Your Rope
The most frequent calls I receive at the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children's Hospital Boston are from parents whose children are sleeping poorly. When the parent on the phone begins by saying “I am at the end of my rope” or “We are at our wits’ end,” I can almost always predict what will be said next.

Typically, the couple or single parent has a young child (often their first) who is between five months and four years old. The child does not fall asleep readily at night or wakes repeatedly during the night, or both. The parents are tired, frustrated, and often angry. Their own relationship has become tense, and they are wondering whether there is something inherently wrong with their child and whether they are unfit parents.

In most cases the parents have had lots of advice from friends, relatives, and even their pediatrician on how to handle the situation. “Let him cry; you're just spoiling him,” they are told, or “That's just a phase; wait until she outgrows it.” They don't want to wait, but they are beginning to wonder if they will have to, since despite all their efforts and strategies the sleep problem persists. Often, the more the parents do to try and solve the problem, the worse it gets. Sooner or later they ask themselves, “How long do I let my child cry — all night?” And if the child gets up four, five, or six times a night, “Will this phase pass before we collapse from exhaustion?”

Everything seems pretty hopeless at first. If your child isn’t sleeping well or has other problems that worry and frustrate you — such as sleep terrors, bedwetting, nightmares, or loud snoring — it won’t take long for you to feel as if you're at the end of your rope, too.

Let me assure you that there is hope. With almost all of these children, we are able at least to reduce the sleep disturbance significantly, and usually we can eliminate the problem entirely. The information in this book will help you identify the type and cause of your child’s particular disturbance, and it will give you a variety of practical ways of solving the problem.

NBC VIDEO Getting kids to sleep May 24: "Today" host Katie Couric talks with Dr. Richard Ferber about how to solve your child's sleep problems. Today show

When a family visits the Sleep Center, I meet with the parents and child together and learn all I can about the child's problem. How often does it arise, and how long has it lasted? What are the episodes like? How do the parents handle the child at bedtime and during the nighttime wakings? Is there a family history of sleep problems, and are there social factors that might be contributing to the problem? Given this detailed history, a physical examination, and, in certain cases, laboratory study, it is usually possible to identify the disorder and its causes. At that point I can begin to work with the family to help them solve their child's sleep problem.

At the Sleep Center, our methods of treatment for the “sleepless child” rarely include medication. Instead, I work with the family to set up new schedules, routines, and ways of handling their child. Often the child’s biological rhythms may need normalizing, or at least his sleep-wake schedule may need to be changed. He may have to learn to associate new conditions with falling asleep or get used to fewer and smaller nighttime feedings. The family may have to learn how to set appropriate limits on the child’s behavior, and the child may need an incentive to cooperate. And any anxiety in the child (or parent) must be taken into account. I always negotiate the specifics of the plan with the family. It is important that they agree with the approach and feel confident that they will be able to follow through consistently. As much as possible, I offer choices. The best solution frequently differs considerably from family to family, and from one culture or social group to another. If the child is old enough, we include him in the negotiations. Thus we use a consistent and firm but fair technique tailored to the particular sleep problem and to the needs and desires of the child and family.

Sleep problems are rarely the result of poor parenting. Nor (with a few exceptions) are they part of a “normal phase” that must be waited (and waited, and waited) out. Finally, there is usually nothing physically or mentally wrong with the child himself. Most parents are immensely reassured to know that sleep problems are common in all types of families and social environments, and that most children with such problems respond well to treatment.

In certain cases, such as in sleep apnea or, less often, in bedwetting, medical factors may be involved, and our intervention may include medication or surgery. Emotional factors may play a role in other instances, such as in the sleepiness of depression, recurrent nightmares in an anxious child, sleep terrors in the adolescent, and extreme nighttime fears. Here it is important to identify the source of these feelings and deal with them satisfactorily so the sleep problems can resolve. Sometimes professional counseling is recommended.

How well your child sleeps from the early months affects not only his behavior during the day but also your feelings about him. I have often heard parents say, “He is such a good baby. We even have to wake him for feedings.” Although the parents are really just commenting on the baby's ability to sleep, they may start thinking that their baby is “good” in the moral sense.

It is easy to see how this distinction can influence the way you relate to your child. If your child does not sleep well, he may well be making your life miserable. It isn't hard to think of such a child as a “bad” baby. You will probably feel enormously frustrated, helpless, worried, and angry if you have to listen to crying every night, get up repeatedly, and lose a great deal of your own much-needed sleep. If your child’s sleep disturbance is severe enough, your frustration and fatigue will carry over into your daytime activities, and you are bound to feel increasingly tense with your child, spouse, family, and friends. If this is the case in your home, you will be pleased to learn that your child is almost certainly capable of sleeping much better than he is now, letting you get a good night’s sleep yourself. To make that happen, you need to learn how to identify your child’s problem; then you can begin to solve it.

The case studies in this book are based on my experience at the Sleep Center. The discussions of these cases, along with descriptions of the underlying sleep disorders and explanations of the methods of solving them, will help you identify, understand, and deal with your own child's sleep problem.

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