Pediatric Behavioral Sleep Medicine focuses on understanding, evaluating, and treating sleep problems in infants, children, and adolescents through behavioural, developmental, and family-based approaches. Sleep disruptions in childhood affect emotional regulation, learning, growth, immunity, and overall wellbeing, making early intervention essential. This session examines the behavioural, environmental, physiological, and psychosocial factors that influence sleep patterns. Clinicians frequently attend a specialised Pediatrics Conference to learn updated evaluation tools, counselling techniques, and management pathways that improve sleep health across developmental stages.

Participants will explore how bedtime routines, parent–child interactions, temperament, anxiety, screen exposure, sensory sensitivity, school schedules, and developmental transitions shape sleep behaviours. This session highlights the design of structured pediatric behavioral sleep medicine pathways that incorporate comprehensive assessment, behavioural sleep training, parent coaching, monitoring strategies, and appropriate referrals. Case examples illustrate challenges such as bedtime resistance, night waking, delayed sleep phase, insomnia, nightmares, sleep-associated anxiety, and sleep fragmentation in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Attendees will learn how to evaluate sleep patterns using detailed histories, sleep diaries, actigraphy, and behavioural screening tools. Discussion includes recognising medical contributors such as obstructive sleep apnea, allergies, asthma, reflux, epilepsy, or medication effects, guiding clinicians on when behavioural approaches can be used alone or in combination with medical evaluation. The session explores counselling strategies to promote healthy routines and independent sleep skills while addressing common parental concerns, fatigue, and inconsistent limit setting.

The emotional and cognitive impact of chronic sleep disruptions is explored in depth, including irritability, attention difficulties, learning challenges, and family stress. Participants will examine culturally informed counselling approaches that respect family norms while introducing effective behavioural strategies such as graduated extinction, bedtime fading, positive routines, and reinforcement systems tailored to age and development.

Global perspectives highlight disparities in sleep education, crowded housing conditions, inconsistent school schedules, early work routines, and limited awareness of behavioural sleep interventions. Attendees will explore how to implement low-cost, high-impact strategies in various settings, including community programs, primary care visits, and telehealth consultations.

The session concludes with insights on emerging technologies—smart monitors, sleep apps, wearables, and digital coaching tools—while emphasising evidence-based use and family privacy. By integrating behavioural science, developmental psychology, and practical family support, this session equips clinicians to address sleep challenges effectively and promote healthier sleep trajectories across childhood.