Chair: Michal Kahn, PhD

Description:
Pediatric sleep problems are highly prevalent and can significantly impact children’s emotional, cognitive, and physical development. This symposium will present novel, empirically supported interventions addressing a range of psychological sleep-related disturbances in infants through adolescents. The four talks will highlight innovative approaches, focusing on both clinical implementation and research data, and their potential for widespread adoption in clinical and community settings.

Dr. Jodi Mindell, PhD, DBSM will begin by discussing the benefits of bedtime routines for newborns and toddlers. Institution of a consistent bedtime routine has been studied as an empirically supported intervention in infants. In addition to sleep benefits, bedtime routines are hypothesized to foster caregiver-child attachment, prosocial development, and social-emotional development. However, few studies have investigated potential benefits of bedtime routines in newborns as well as in primary care settings as a potential means to decrease pediatric sleep disparities. Dr. Mindell will present findings from two studies, including (1) initial findings of a randomized control trial of a bedtime routine intervention for newborns and (2) a bedtime routine intervention for toddlers implemented in an urban outpatient primary care setting.

Dr. Michal Kahn, PhD will then present findings from an ongoing RCT testing the efficacy of parent-delivered Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) augmented by the DreamChanger intervention to treat nightmares in children aged 3-10 years. The DreamChanger is a remote-control-like device that emits a soft light, helping children “change the channel of their dreams,” and leveraging imagination to foster a sense of mastery and control. Preliminary results (n = 69) demonstrate that the combined IRT and DreamChanger intervention effectively reduces nightmare frequency and nighttime anxiety, suggesting a brief, accessible, and cost-effective solution for young children.

Next, Dr. Lisa Cromer, PhD will introduce creative adaptations of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares in Children (CBT-NC) treatment components for youth aged 6 to 17. Drawing on over a dozen years of research and a recent efficacy study, Dr. Cromer will share examples of treatment applications tailored to different age groups, covering a range of techniques, including structured sleep routines, cueing relaxation, using a pillowcase to focus the mind on pleasant bedtime thoughts, the use of a worry jar, bedtime passes, and targeted nightmare exposure and rescription methods that teach youth to be the directors of their dreams.

Dr. Faith Orchard, PhD, C.Psych will conclude the symposium with findings from the iBLISS study (Investigating Benefits to Lifestyle from Improved Sleep Strategies) – a pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial evaluating school-based CBT-I workshops for adolescents. Given the widespread nature of sleep problems in teenagers and their connection to mental health, the study explores the feasibility of delivering sleep interventions within the school environment. By integrating CBT-I into school-based mental health teams, this model offers an accessible pathway to improve adolescent sleep and psychological well-being.

Together, these talks present diverse, innovative approaches to pediatric sleep intervention application, from infancy through adolescence. By highlighting effective scalable solutions, this symposium aims to advance the field of pediatric sleep health and inspire future research and clinical implementation.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Explain the potential benefits of implementing a bedtime routine intervention for young children
• Describe the combined IRT and DreamChanger intervention and its efficacy in reducing nightmares and nighttime anxiety in young children
• Describe innovative adaptations to cognitive behavioral therapy for nightmares in youth including using a pillowcase and a worry jar to reduce nightmares and improve sleep
• Outline how the school environment can be utilized to provide support for improving teenagers’ sleep

Schedule:

8:40am – 8:45am
Introduction

8:45am – 9:00am
Bedtime routines for newborns and toddlers: Novel applications to improve outcomes
Jodi Mendell, PhD, DBSM

9:00am – 9:15am
Augmenting Imagery Rehearsal Therapy with the DreamChanger: A randomized controlled trial
Michal Kahn, PhD

9:15am – 9:30am
Reimagining pediatric sleep: Innovative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares in Children (CBT-NC)
Lisa Cromer, PhD

9:30am – 9:45am
The iBLISS study: A pilot feasibility RCT of school-based CBT-I informed workshops
Faith Orchard, PhD, C.Psych

9:45am – 9:55am
Questions and answers