If your child has been lying awake at night with a hacking cough, you can help make his night more bearable. Most likely, your child's cough is caused by a cold or the flu. If your child's cough lasts more than a few days or is accompanied by any serious symptoms, consult a doctor.

If your 7-year-old is a night owl and stays up until 10 p.m. or later, you might mistakenly assume that she needs a later bedtime or that she simply does not need much sleep. Sleep expert Jodi Mindell, author of "Sleeping Through the Night,"