I am a Pediatric Respirologist and Sleep Medicine Physician and I believe that between birth and 18 years of age, we have a unique and shared responsibility, as parents, caregivers within and outside of healthcare, and mentors, to help every child build the foundation they need to thrive as an adult and reach their full potential. Sleep is at the center of that foundation. Sleep is simple. Yet for so many families it feels anything but, and if we are being honest, those of us who work with children, whether in healthcare or beyond, have often been left just as under-equipped to help. And for too long, this has been neglected.

Almost ten years ago I found myself feeling unfulfilled in my practice. Even when I successfully treated sleep disordered breathing, my patients still struggled. The behavioral and developmental side of sleep remained untouched and I did not have the tools to help. The reason was simple: pediatric sleep health is not taught in medical school or residency. An entire generation of physicians and caregivers entered practice without the framework to address one of the most common challenges families face.

Then it became personal. After the birth of my second child I experienced postpartum anxiety, and the intersection of sleep and mental health hit close to home. I pursued further training in behavioral sleep medicine and made a decision: if this gap existed in my own training as a sleep specialist, it existed everywhere. The Sleep Health Organization was created to bridge that gap, for physicians, practitioners, and families alike, because sleep support should be accessible to every child, regardless of background or circumstance.

Sleep is simple. Every child deserves to know that.