Sleep Consultant Course of Study

Course name: Attachment Theory and Child Sleep

Course code: IMS304

Course description

This course introduces students to attachment theory and its impact on infant and toddler sleep. Students will learn about the different attachment styles, including secure, avoidant, anxious, and disorganized attachment. The course also covers the ongoing debate on how genetics may play a role in attachment and the concept of earned secure attachment. 

The course also looks at separation anxiety - what it is, why it happens, and how it affects sleep. Students will learn how to recognize separation anxiety and help parents cope with it.

Course objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand the four main attachment styles: secure, avoidant, anxious, and disorganized.
• Explain the debate around genetics and attachment.
• Describe earned secure attachment and its significance.
• Discuss how attachment parenting relates to infant sleep.
• Recognize the signs of separation anxiety in infants and toddlers.
• Explain how separation anxiety can affect a child’s sleep.
• Provide strategies to help parents cope with separation anxiety.

Course content

• Introduction to Attachment Theory
• Attachment Styles
• Secure Attachment Style
• Avoidant Attachment Style
• Anxious Attachment Style
• Disorganized Attachment Style
• The Genetics-Attachment Debat
• Earned Secure Attachment
• Attachment Parenting and Infant Sleep
• Breaking the Myth of Perfect Parenting: Insights from Duke University
• Introduction to Separation Anxiety
• What facts do we know about separation anxiety?
• What Makes The Child Have Separation Anxiety?
• How Can You Tell If The Baby Has Separation Anxiety?
• In What Situations Do Toddlers Experience Separation Anxiety? 
• Why Does Separation Anxiety Affect The Child’s Sleep?
• How to help children cope with separation anxiety 

Exercises:

• 6 practice quizzes (not graded)

Assessment

• 1 final test

Grading System:

Pass/Fail based on performance in the final test.

Prerequisites:

Students must have completed the following courses before enrolling in this course:

• IMS511 Science of Sleep
• IMS101 Introduction to Pediatric Sleep Consulting
• IMS421 Safe Infant Sleep
• IMS425 Infant Sleep from Birth to 4 Months
• IMS111 Infant Sleep 5-12 Months
• IMS739 Solving Toddler and Preschooler Sleep Problems

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