Sleep Problems in Children and Adolescents - From Anxiety to 'Geckos'

In this webinar, Clinical Psychologist Amanda Owen explored the wide range of sleep difficulties experienced by children and young people, drawing on her clinical and research experience in paediatric sleep disorders. She discussed how sleep problems often sit at the intersection of psychological, behavioural, and developmental factors, including anxiety, neurodevelopmental conditions, and learned sleep habits.

Amanda shared insights from her work in specialist sleep services, highlighting how difficulties such as settling, night waking, and disrupted sleep patterns can present differently across childhood and adolescence. The session also considered how emotional factors like anxiety can drive or maintain sleep problems, and how clinicians can better understand and respond to these presentations in practice.

Drawing on case-based learning from a health centre setting, she illustrated practical approaches to assessment and intervention, and reflected on the importance of joined-up, developmentally informed care for sleep difficulties in CAMHS populations.

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