Which best describes sleep patterns from infancy to early childhood?

• A. Infants sleep long nights; by early childhood there is more consolidated nighttime sleep.
• B. Infants sleep in multiple shorter periods; by early childhood there is more consolidated nighttime sleep.
• C. Infants do not sleep; early childhood sleep increases to 24 hours.
• D. Infants only wake at night; early childhood no sleep.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is how sleep organization develops with age: infants start with many short sleep episodes across the day, and as children grow, nighttime sleep becomes longer and more continuous.

Infants sleep in multiple shorter periods because their brain development, feeding needs, and energy demands lead to frequent awakenings and naps throughout the day and night. As they mature, circadian rhythms strengthen and the homeostatic sleep drive becomes more stable, producing longer stretches of sleep at night with fewer awakenings. By early childhood, most children have a more consolidated nighttime sleep pattern, typically with longer, uninterrupted blocks at night and daytime naps gradually decreasing or ending.

This is a better description than statements that imply infants sleep through long nights or that they don’t sleep at all, which contradict how sleep regulation unfolds in early development.