Sleep Consultant Course of Study
Syllabus
Course name: Introduction to Pediatric Sleep Consulting
Course code: IMS101
Course description
This course introduces students to the key roles and responsibilities of a child sleep consultant. It covers what consultants do, the limits of their professional competency, and how they can help families who have healthy children with sleep issues. Students will also learn the skills and qualifications needed to succeed in this field, with a focus on building positive relationships with parents. Topics include effective communication, trust-building, respecting cultural diversity, and understanding what parents look for when hiring a consultant. The course also addresses the ethical standards and guidelines that sleep consultants must follow.
Course content:
- The Role of the Sleep Consultant
- Limits of Professional Competency
- What Are Some of the Ways That Pediatric Sleep Consultants Can Help Families?
- Pediatric Sleep Consultant Skills & Qualifications
- The Importance of Tuning In: Building Positive Relationships with Parents
- Communication from the Heart
- Building Trust and Understanding
- Touch as a way to communicate
- Respecting Cultural Diversity
- What Do Parents Consider Before Hiring a Pediatric Sleep Consultant?
- Code of Ethics
Exercises:
- 1 practical exercise (not graded)
- 4 practice quizzes (not graded)
Course objectives:
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Understand the role and responsibilities of a child sleep consultant.
- Identify the professional boundaries and limits of competency in sleep consulting.
- Recognize how sleep consultants can help families in solving common sleep issues.
- Develop skills in communication and relationship-building with parents.
- Understand the importance of listening and responding thoughtfully to parents’ concerns.
- Build trust with families through clear and compassionate communication.
- Acknowledge and respect cultural differences in sleep practices and family dynamics.
- Understand the ethical principles that guide sleep consultants.
Assessment
- 1 final test
Grading System:
Pass/Fail based on performance in the final test.
Prerequisites
This course is designed to be accessible to all students. No prior knowledge or experience is required.
References:
Maxwell, J. C. (2010). Everyone communicates, few connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently. HarperCollins Leadership.
Rosenberg, M. B., & Chopra, D. (2015). Nonviolent communication: a language of life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships. PuddleDancer Press.
Goleman, B. (2019). Emotional intelligence: For a Better Life, Success at Work, and Happier Relationships. Improve Your Social Skills, Emotional Agility and Discover Why it Can Matter More Than IQ. (EQ 2.0). Independently Published.
Sullivan, J. (2016). Simply said: Communicating Better at Work and Beyond. John Wiley & Sons.
Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. Simon and Schuster.
Covey, S. R., & Merrill, R. R. (2008). The SPEED of trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything. Simon and Schuster.
Zhang, N., & Howard-Hamilton, M. F. (2019). Multicultural and diversity issues in student affairs practice: A Professional Competency-Based Approach. Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Hogan, M. (2012). The four skills of Cultural Diversity Competence. Cengage Learning.
Howard, R. A., & Korver, C. D. (2008). Ethics for the real world: Creating a Personal Code to Guide Decisions in Work and Life. Harvard Business Press.
Maxwell, J. C. (2008). Ethics 101: What Every Leader Needs To Know. Hachette UK.
Boyatzis, R., Smith, M. L., & Van Oosten, E. (2019). Helping people change: Coaching with Compassion for Lifelong Learning and Growth. Harvard Business School Press.