From bedtime struggles to restorative sleep: Addressing pediatric sleep in occupational therapy (March 3, 2026)

Presented by: Amanda Buono

Sleep disturbance is a public health crisis affecting many families, with up to 80% of children with disabilities experiencing sleep deficits (e.g., Adams, 2021; Shelton & Malow, 2021). Despite recognizing sleep's importance, many occupational therapists lack the knowledge and confidence to assess and address sleep in their pediatric clients (Hartman et al., 2024). This webinar directly responds to the identified need for professional development that empowers clinicians to integrate evidence-based sleep interventions into practice, ultimately improving health outcomes for children and families across Canada. 

This webinar will explore occupational models as a framework for addressing pediatric sleep, with a focus on the the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP; Christiansen et al., 2011) model. Participants will learn to identify client factors such as mental health and sensory modulation that increase sleep deficit risk, examine environmental/contexual and occupational factors affecting family sleep, and review various sleep assessments with their respective advantages and limitations. Evidence-based, family-centred interventions will be presented, and interactive case studies will build confidence in sleep assessment interpretation and therapy planning.

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

1. List two ways to assess sleep in families and children and discuss how the results of assessment would inform their goals and therapy planning.
2. Identify how occupational models, including the PEOP model, can be used to plan sleep interventions to support sleep in children and their families.

Level  Beginner (0-2 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Area of practice Autism/Neurodiversity, Health Promotion & Wellness, Occupational Therapist Assistant, Parental Health, Pediatrics 

Client age group Young children (0-4 years old), Children (5-12 years old), Adolescents (13-19 years old) 

Please note that webinar is offered in English.