Scripps Howard News Service

Dear Dr. Fournier,

My son calls himself a "night owl" to justify going out during the week or waiting until late at night to begin his schoolwork. This battle began in ninth grade, once he was able to drive. Is this true? Are there people who can only work at night and do just as well with less sleep? My son barely gets three or four hours of sleep a night. His grades have slipped, but he always has an excuse, saying that his teacher is unfair or doesn't like him. After a while, these same excuses wear thin. What should I do?

Assessment

Sleep is crucial to the body and even more important to a growing child. Students who are required to think creatively will perform better when well rested. If your son languishes during the school day, he will never reach his full learning potential.

Some people have atypical sleep patterns based on their circadian rhythm, measured by their temperature and hormonal transmissions, but this is still no excuse to stay up all night. A sleep specialist should evaluate your son before you buy into his self-diagnosis.

More than likely, your son's slipping academic performance stems from his poor sleeping habits. Pamela Thatcher, clinical psychologist at St. Lawrence University in New York, surveyed of 120 students, and found that students who study throughout the night tend to have lower grade point averages than those who get plenty of sleep.

What To Do

Your child needs to undergo a sleep study. He may be right; he might have a circadian cycle that needs therapy. If so, physicians can help your son enter into a normal sleep cycle. But until you know this for sure, some new rules need to be put in place.

At 17, your son needs about 8 and a quarter hours of sleep a night. Depending on the time school begins (which is ridiculously early at some schools), allow him an hour to fall asleep and then count backwards 8 1/2. This is your son's new bedtime.

Remove all distractions from his room, including the TV, computer, and cell phone. It's difficult to fall asleep while playing video games or talking to friends.

Until your son develops the habit of getting a good night's rest, his driving privileges are suspended for his safety, as well as the safety of other drivers.

Remember that his reflexes are still developing. Without adequate sleep, your son is a danger to everyone on the road. This will be a hard pill for him to swallow, especially if he started driving in the ninth grade. However, this could be the "wake-up call" that encourages him to get more sleep.

You are fortunate to have two years left to teach your son that all-nighters are not acceptable in high school or college. He must learn this before going off to college; otherwise, he should live at home until he understands this principle.

While these suggestions seem harsh in a society that tries to give everything to our children, this ultimately could save his life. I can't count how many students I have known who died on the road when they should have been in bed. Permissiveness may make you a cool parent, but it also jeopardizes your son's future.

— Write to Dr. Yvonne Fournier, Fournier Learning Strategies Inc., 5900 Poplar, Memphis, Tenn. 38119. E-mail her at drfournier@hfhw.net)