New parents, who regularly sacrifice sleep due to fussy babies, stay up all night trying to get their children to calm down and get some rest. Employing the techniques of the Ferber Sleep Method provides relief to many babies and their sleep-deprived parents; however, critics warn that the process has potential drawbacks and may not work for every baby.
General Information
Pediatrician Richard Ferber, the director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, developed the Ferber Sleep Method, also called "Ferberization," as a means of dealing with an infant's sleeping problems. Ferber's bestselling 1985 book, "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems," laid out the technique behind the Ferber Method, which has become both popular and controversial among parents and doctors.
The Process
The Ferber Sleep Method employs a technique Ferber calls "progressive waiting." The technique involves putting a child in bed and initially leaving her alone for five minutes. Parents must wait five minutes, even if the child cries, before coming back in the room. Then, they may enter and reassure the baby with talk and gentle pats without picking her up.
The parents then leave again and wait for a longer period of time before returning to reassure the baby. As parents progress with the method, they leave the baby alone for gradually longer periods of time. In essence, the method allows babies to "cry it out" until they fall asleep. Ferber theorizes that this method teaches babies to fall asleep on their own.
Considerations
According to Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., founder and author of ParentingScience.com, parents should not use the Ferber Method with babies under 6 months old. Dewar also cautions that Ferber advocates do not recommend the method for traumatized children who have a fear of being left alone or babies who have a conditioned vomiting response. The Ferber Method, contends Dewar, simply teaches babies how to sleep alone, but if a child's sleep disturbances stem from other problems, such as headaches, allergies, breathing problems, stress or night terrors, "crying it out" will not help. Parents must address those issues with a doctor.
Criticism and Controversy
Clinical psychologist and parenting expert Laura Markham, Ph.D. contends that the Ferber Method addresses only the physical and ignores the psychological ramifications of leaving a baby alone to cry for long periods of time. Markham and other critics warn that the technique could cause emotional damage as well as damage to the nervous system and make children susceptible to anxiety and panic attacks later in life. Markham and other critics also state that the Ferber method teaches children that they can't trust or depend on their parents for comfort and support, which could negatively color a child's worldview.
Updates
In 2006, Dr. Ferber released an updated and expanded version of "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems," which addresses new research on the subject since the book's original publication. The updated book clarifies Ferber's approach and gives updated solutions to sleep disturbances with little or no crying involved. The update includes options for varied parenting styles, addresses co-sleeping arrangements, and also deals with treatments for bed-wetting, apnea and narcolepsy.
