Why Hire A Sleep Consultant?

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone. Sometimes though, it can be hard to have the perspective you need when you know that something needs to change–especially when you’re exhausted! Sometimes we all need a little help, but when the Internet is full of misleading and conflicting advice, where do you turn?

Sleep struggles are common, affecting anywhere from 20% to 30% of little ones.^[1]Mindell, J. A., & Owens, J. A. (2015). A clinical guide to pediatric sleep : diagnosis and management of sleep problems (3rd ed.). Given how many people share this problem, it’s not surprising that parents often turn to their doctor for help. Always check with your pediatrician to rule out any medical issues that may be getting in the way of your child’s sleep, such as severe reflux or sleep disordered breathing. Surprisingly though, very few pediatricians (18%) have formal training on sleep disorders beyond these medical problems.^[2]Faruqui, F., Khubchandani, J., Price, J. H., Bolyard, D., & Reddy, R. (2011). Sleep Disorders in Children: A National Assessment of Primary Care Pediatrician Practices and Perceptions. Pediatrics, 128(3). Additionally, the time that a pediatrician is able to dedicate to focusing on counseling for sleep issues is highly limited.

If your child isn’t sleeping well, it’s tempting to think that he or she, “just isn’t a good sleeper.” But the most common cause of sleep problems in early childhood is related to behavior,^[3]Vriend, J., & Corkum, P. (2011). Clinical management of behavioral insomnia of childhood. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 4, 69–79. http://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S14057 meaning that you can change that behavior. You can create healthy sleep habits instead. Because sleep difficulties are largely behavioral, children often fail to outgrow these struggles. One study found that among children with sleep disturbances between 15-48 months of age, 84% of those children still had sleep problems three years later.^[4]Kataria, S., Swanson, M. S., & Trevathan, G. E. (1987). Persistence of sleep disturbances in preschool children. The Journal of Pediatrics, 110(4), 642–646. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(87)80571-1 Taking steps to address sleep problems is extremely effective though, providing long-term, stable change.^[5]Mindell, J. A., Kuhn, B., Lewin, D. S., Meltzer, L. J., & Sadeh, A. (2006). Behavioral treatment of bedtime problems and night wakings in infants and young children – An American Academy of Sleep Medicine review. Sleep, 29(10), 1263–1276.

As a certified Child Sleep Consultant through the Family Sleep Institute, I have completely approximately 250 course hours dedicated to learning how to help families achieve healthy sleep. Additionally, my background consists of a Masters of Library Science degree from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Penn State University, with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. My desire is to offer you a compassionate as well as evidence-based path to help you and your family get the rest that you need.