Exploring parental and infant sleep through the lens of occupational models (September 15, 2026)

Presented by: Heather Boyd, OT Reg. (Ont.) 

Occupational therapists who work with babies and very young children are invariably working with exhausted and overwhelmed parents, often due to fragmented sleep (Lillis et al., 2025). Sleep is highly impacted by environmental and individual factors including social-emotional environment, temperament, neurophysiology, health, habits, co-regulation, parental expectations (Ball, 2021), and innate sleep factors such as chronotype and total sleep need. Examining parent and infant sleep through occupational  models facilitates understanding of the dynamic interactions between these factors. 

This webinar provides you with the knowledge and skills to apply occupational models to the occupation of parental and infant sleep to support assessment and management of parent and infant sleep challenges. You will explore the complexity of sleep as an occupation, the neurophysiological basis of sleep development, the impact of parent perception on infant sleep problems, and the interplay between parent and infant intrinsic factors and the environment. A case study will demonstrate how occupational models can support you in assessing and managing parental and infant sleep challenges. 

  You'll learn to:

1. Apply occupational models to parental and infant sleep.

2. Identify intrinsic and extrinsic factors that impact parent and infant sleep.

3. Recognize assessment and intervention approaches to parental and infant sleep challenges. 

After taking part in this webinar, participants will be able to: 

1. Understand the relationship of sleep and health in institutionalized older adults and the role of occupational therapy in supporting sleep in this population.
2. Describe at least one way to assess sleep and three ways to support sleep in older adults in long-term care and assistive living settings.

Target audience and language

Client age groups Young children (0-4 years old), Adults (20-64 years old) 

Areas of practice Health promotion & wellness, Occupational therapist assistant, Parental health, Pediatrics

Level Advanced (More than 6 years of experience in this specific practice area) 

Language English

Presenter

Heather Boyd, OT Reg. (Ont.)

Heather Boyd is an occupational therapist and certified infant and family sleep specialist with over 25 years of occupational therapy experience. As a former Infant Development Consultant, Neonatal Follow-up Clinic coordinator, and a private practitioner, Heather has supported families with young children across hospital, private practice, and community settings. In her current role in private practice, she supports parents by educating them about infant sleep development and how best to support sleep. Heather’s work integrates occupational therapy models, developmental neuroscience, and attachment theories. She is known for translating complex research into practical, compassionate guidance that supports both child development and caregiver mental health.