May 5-9, 2025 - Virtual via Zoom
May 5-9, 2025 - Virtual via Zoom
Sleep is widely cited as one of the most important factors in the developing child. It plays an important role in cognitive, language, motor, adaptive, and social-emotional skill development. Specific studies emphasize the importance of learning, memory, and emotional regulation. However, identifying what “healthy sleep” looks like can be challenging across ages, families, cultures, and neurotypes. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics have issued recommendations, but these may seem daunting for families whose resources are stretched thin.
As early childhood professionals, we all know how important sleep is to the children and families we support. However, evidence shows parents and providers lack knowledge about pediatric sleep health and strategies. Additionally, while sleep is often the most concerning things parents bring up, support through providers is often hard to access.
Through our combined knowledge as providers and parents of neurodiverse children and families, culturally and linguistically diverse children and families, we have developed Strength-Based Sleep Supports. This philosophy is grounded in Parent Coaching philosophies and a neuro-informed approach. It takes research from the fields of psychology, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, social-work, and education to center on a framework that takes into account each individual child’s and family’s strength. This model is not a medical model approach to sleep, although it does recognize the potential need for medical intervention to support sleep.
This presentation will provide an overview of the research supporting the importance of sleep as a foundational skill for all development and provide a framework for supporting children and families who have goals for supporting sleep in their everyday routines. Attendees will leave the presentation with an understanding of what questions to ask when a family shares they are struggling with sleep, how to support strength based sleep goal setting, ways to show strength based sleep progress, strategies to share with families, and when to refer to medical providers for sleep support.
Kayla earned her bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington and her master’s degree in speech pathology from Gallaudet University. Kayla is passionate about learning about, researching, and supporting children and families birth – 5. She is currently the Vice President of the Kids division at Northwest Center overseeing their Early Supports program and their Early Learning center.
Cailey is an Occupational therapist who provides direct therapy services for the birth-to-three population. She worked as an infant/toddler teacher before becoming an OT. She has additional training in areas of feeding, sleep, sensory-processing, neurodiversity, and trauma and resilience. She is also a proud parent of an energetic 2yr old who has struggled with sleep.
Katie is a Speech Language Pathologist who works with our hospital to home team at Northwest Center Kids. She has supported children birth to three for the past 15 years and is a proud parent of neurodivergent children.
