Supporting Pediatric Sleep for Behavioral Regulation

Sleep is a fundamental occupation that significantly impacts overall health, development, and daily functioning. Children with sleep difficulties often experience challenges that affect their daily activities, learning, and behavior. We can help by addressing the underlying factors contributing to sleep disturbances and implementing strategies to improve sleep quality. Occupational therapy practitioners play a crucial role in addressing sleep issues, particularly in pediatric populations and those with behavioral difficulties. However, many therapists feel unprepared in how to address sleep from an evidence-based perspective. Behavior impacts the ability to get to sleep, and sleep impacts the ability to behave. This course outlines evidenced-based strategies using the most up to date and comprehensive research and insights from lived experience to help with both the sleep impacting the behavior and the behavior impacting the sleep. Wherever you are in your career, you will learn strategies for helping families support children of all ages in getting restorative sleep. 

Speaker: Devina Robinson, B.A. Psy, MSOTR/L, ADHD-RSP, ASDCS

I have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a mental health career background as a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy; and am a practicing pediatric occupational therapist with 10 years of clinical experience as an OT in multiple settings (including hospitals, schools, home-based, early intervention, and outpatient pediatrics) and 17 years of experience working with children with special needs and behavioral challenges. I am a mother with lived experience parenting a child with extreme behaviors due to generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar, trauma, trichotillomania, and dyslexia who I have successfully raised to be a wonderful, competent, and kind adult. I am certified as an ADHD rehab service professional and certified autism specialist (and am autistic myself, married to a partner with ADHD and parenting a teenager with ADHD). I create curriculum for and teach as an adjunct professor in an occupational therapy Master's program. I have been teaching fieldwork students and my coworkers throughout my career.  I am an author and advocate and run several social media accounts to educate professionals and parents. My areas of passion include pediatrics, ADHD, autism, executive function, sensory processing, behavior, and neurodivergent affirming care. These subjects are where I focus my advocacy efforts and continue to learn and grow.

Disclosures: I am the author of From Surviving to Thriving: The Art and Sciences of Guiding Children to Develop Behavioral Regulation. I have used images from this book and will receive financial compensation from purchases of this book. 

Contact information: [email protected] 

Duration: 2 hours. 

Queen Diva's Playhouse, LLC is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID# 12657. This independent distance learning activity is offered at 0.2 CEUs,  Advanced, Occupational therapy service delivery and Foundational skills. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA or indicate AOTA approval of a certification or other professional recognition. 

Meets the requirements of NBCOT professional development units (PDUs) for 2.5 hours.

Certificate of Completion and AOTA CEUs: Provided with successful completion of course, survey, and exam completion with an 80% passing score. 

Format: On-demand course in text and/or video format. For special needs/ADA requests contact me at [email protected]. 

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this section, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the recommended number of hours of sleep a child needs based on their age.
2. Discriminate between the stages of sleep and the functional significance of each stage in supporting cognitive, emotional, and physical readiness for daily tasks.
3. Discriminate between common sleep disorders and identify their signs.
4. Interpret findings from a sleep evaluation to determine which evidence-based intervention(s) are most likely to effectively improve functional outcomes in everyday occupations.
5. Plan a holistic sleep intervention program for a child with SPD.
6. Justify the selection of interventions (e.g. environmental modifications, strengthening exercises, sleep hygiene, physical agent modalities, sensory diets, caregiver and patient education, etc.) used in therapy sessions to enhance sleep quality, thereby optimizing a child’s occupational performance. 

Course Contents

• Introduction
• Course Overview
• Learning Outcomes
• Sleep and Behavior
• Assessment of Sleep
• Assessment Tools
• Setting Goals
• Example Sleep Goals
• Cultural Differences
• Impact of Sleep Deprivation
• On Parents and Children
• Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome (The 5 S's)
• Meeting Parents Where They Are
• Understanding Sleep
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Enlarged Adenoids
  • Parasomnias
  • Behavioral Insomnia
  • Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
  • Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder/Circadian Rhythm Disorders
  • Allergies
  • Pain
• Sleep Duration and Quality
• Phases of Sleep
• Sleep Disorders
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Working with Other Professionals
• Pharmacological Interventions
• Common Natural Supplements
• Sensory Processing and Sleep Hygiene
  • Consistent Bedtime Routine
  • Creating a Sleep-Conducive Atmosphere
  • Relaxation Techniques
  • Gradual Desensitization
  • Exercise
  • Diet
  • Snacks to Help Children Sleep
• Sensory Processing Disorder
• Sensory Diets
• Sleep Hygiene
• Therapeutic Approaches
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI)
• Meeting Children Where They Are
• Making Changes
• Using Melatonin to Reset Sleep Cycles
• CPAP Mask Tolerance
• Strategies to Help Children Wear Their CPAP
• Oral Motor Exercises
• Toys and Games for Respiratory Control
• Core Strengthening Exercises
• Specific Populations
  • Sleep Regressions
  • Cry It Out
  • Advocating for Gentle, Responsive Caregiving Practices
  • Supporting Infant Sleep
  • Safe Co-Sleeping Practices for Infants
  • Positioning for Reflux
  • Sleep Strategies for Neonatal Substance Exposure and Premature Infants
  • Helping Babies and Toddlers Sleep
  • Helping Children Sleep in Their Own Bed
  • Strategies to Promote Independent Sleep
  • Bedtime meltdowns
  • Teenage Sleep 
  • Parental warmth
  • Devices as Self-Soothers
  • Dopamine Seeking in ADHD
  • Mindful Technology Use
  • Alternative Self-Soothing Activities
  • Setting Up the Environment for Success
  • External Assistance for Impulse Control
  • Collaborative Problem-Solving Conversations
  • Internalized Echolalia
  • Tracking
• Technology for Sleep Routines and State Management
• Setting Up a Bedtime Routine with Technology
• Setting Up a Wake-Up Routine with Technology
• Sleep Technology
• Elopement
• Conclusion
• References

Refund/Cancellation Policy: All of Queen Diva's Playhouse, LLC courses will be independent distance learning so will not be cancelled by the provider. However, if something unexpected comes up where the provider was forced to stop offering the course or the course became inaccessible to the learner before they finished the course; Queen Diva's Playhouse, LLC will provide a refund to those who have not finished the course.

Queen Diva's Playhouse, LLC will consider refunds on a case by case basis when requested by learners due to learners being able to download course content as soon as they login. Queen Diva's Playhouse, LLC courses will all be self-paced significantly reducing likelihood a learner would need to cancel.

© King 2025. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. I am an occupational therapist. I am not your child’s occupational therapist and have not met your child. Therefore, I cannot know what they need without a thorough assessment. The purpose of the strategies outlined in this course is to guide you in decision-making when responding to your individual child’s sleep difficulties. It’s important to note that the information provided here is for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never ignore or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read here. Relying on any information provided here is solely at your own risk, and I am not liable for any harm caused by the use or misuse of information provided in this course. This work includes references to various sources, research, ideas, apps, and products that are being used in a transformative and educational manner. The original owners hold their respective copyrights. Mention of the products, tests, physicians, opinions, procedures, interventions, or services does not suggest that I endorse or am endorsed by the creators of the items, ideas, or products mentioned.  I have created all of the content within, unless otherwise stated, and it is my sole property and is protected by international copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction or use of this content without my permission is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action. I reserve the right to take necessary measures to safeguard my intellectual property.