Lots of young children find it difficult to settle down to sleep and will wake up during the night.

For some people, this might not be a problem. But if you or your child are suffering from a lack of sleep, there are some simple things you can try. Every child is different, so only do what you feel comfortable with and what you think will suit your child.

If your child will not go to bed

• Decide what time you want your child to go to bed.
• Start a "winding down" bedtime routine around 30 minutes before the time that your child usually falls asleep. Bring this forward by 5 to 10 minutes each week – or 15 minutes if your child is in the habit of going to bed very late – until you get to the bedtime you want. Read more about helping babies to sleep.
• Set a limit on how much time you spend with your child when you put them to bed. For example, read only 1 story, then tuck your child in and say goodnight.
• Give your child their favourite toy, dummy (if they use one) or comforter before settling into bed.
• Leave a dim light on if necessary.
• If your child gets up, keep taking them back to bed again with as little fuss as possible.
• Try to be consistent.
• You may have to repeat this routine for several nights.

Sleep tips for under-5s

• Make sure you have a calming, predictable bedtime routine that happens at the same time and includes the same things every night.
• If your child complains that they're hungry at night, try giving them a bowl of cereal and milk before bed (make sure you brush their teeth afterwards).
• If your child is afraid of the dark, consider using a nightlight or leaving a landing light on.
• Do not let your child look at laptops, tablets or phones in the 30 to 60 minutes before bed – the light from screens can interfere with sleep.
• If your child wakes up during the night, be as boring as possible to avoid exciting them and leave lights off.
• Avoid long naps in the afternoon.

It's natural to worry whether your child is getting enough food if they refuse to eat sometimes.

But it's perfectly normal for toddlers to refuse to eat or even taste new foods.

Do not worry about what your child eats in a day or if they do not eat everything at mealtimes. It's more helpful to think about what they eat over a week.

If your child is active and gaining weight, and they seem well, then they're getting enough to eat.

As long as your child eats some food from the 4 main food groups (fruit and vegetables; potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates; dairy or dairy alternatives; and beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins) you do not need to worry. Find out more about what to feed young children.

Gradually introduce other foods and keep going back to the foods your child did not like before. Children's tastes change. One day they'll hate something, but a month later they may love it.

Keep offering a variety of foods – it may take lots of attempts before your child accepts some foods.

Tips for parents of fussy eaters

• Give your child the same food as the rest of the family, but remember not to add salt to your child's food. Check the food labels of any food product you use to make family meals.
• The best way for your child to learn to eat and enjoy new foods is to copy you. Try to eat with them as often as you can.
• Give small portions and praise your child for eating, even if they only eat a little.
• If your child rejects the food, do not force them to eat it. Just take the food away without saying anything. Try to stay calm, even if it's very frustrating. Try the food again another time.
• Do not leave meals until your child is too hungry or tired to eat.
• Your child may be a slow eater, so be patient.
• Do not give your child too many snacks between meals – 2 healthy snacks a day is plenty.
• Do not use food as a reward. Your child may start to think of sweets as nice and vegetables as nasty. Instead, reward them with a trip to the park or promise to play a game with them.
• Make mealtimes enjoyable and not just about eating. Sit down and chat about other things.
• If you know any other children of the same age who are good eaters, ask them round for tea. But do not talk too much about how good the other children are.
• Ask an adult that your child likes and looks up to to eat with you. Sometimes a child will eat for someone else, such as a grandparent, without any fuss.
• Changing how you serve a food may make it more appealing. For example, your child might refuse cooked carrots but enjoy raw grated carrot.

A dummy is often given to a baby or toddler to suck on so they feel comforted and stop crying. Dummies are normally made of rubber or silicone and their use can be a controversial topic among health professionals and parents and carers.

Dummies can help babies to settle down and sleep. Some studies show that dummies can establish a good sucking pattern in babies, especially those who are premature. However, there a number of disadvantages, most of which impact on a child’s speech and language development. Dummies can also cause middle ear infections and dental problems.

Dummies decline in effectiveness after the baby is about 6 months old. It’s recommended that you:

• Don’t use a dummy when your child is over 18 months old
• Don’t give your child a dummy during the day or when they could be interacting with other children
• Don’t use a dummy beyond times when your child needs to be comforted
• Don’t use a dummy when your child could be babbling or talking