Pat Method (Tassmetoden)
The child stays in bed while the parent provides a calming physical presence, for example by keeping a hand on the child's body. If the child continues to cry, additional comfort can be given. The method is similar to Pick Up / Put Down but involves less physical movement.
How the method works
The parent places the child in bed awake and puts a hand on the child's body (tummy, back or side) to provide calm and security. If the child cries, the parent can increase comfort through stroking or shushing, but the child is not picked up. The hand is gradually removed as the child begins to relax, and physical contact is reduced over time so the child can practise falling asleep with progressively less physical help. Progress varies: some children accept the method within a few days, while others need longer or simply do not settle with this approach.
What the research says
The pat method lacks specific research in the form of controlled studies. It is based on the same principles as other methods where parental presence is gradually reduced, an approach supported by reviews of behavioural sleep interventions.¹ Compared with Pick Up / Put Down it involves less handling of the child, but that difference has not been evaluated separately.
Potential benefits
- The child receives physical comfort without being lifted from bed
- Less physically demanding for the parent compared with Pick Up / Put Down
- Can be perceived as a secure and gentle method
Challenges
- –Can take a long time before the child falls asleep
- –The touch can sometimes stimulate the child rather than soothe them
- –Difficult to know when to remove the hand
All children are different. A method that helps one family may work slowly, differently, or not at all for another. The descriptions show what the method usually involves, not a guarantee of results.
Related methods
Sources
- Mindell, J. A., et al. (2006). Behavioral treatment of bedtime problems and night wakings in infants and young children. Sleep, 29(10), 1263–1276.