The Follow-Up: The Hidden Impact of Poor Sleep

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

Dr. Mona Amin

Kids & Family, Parenting, Medicine, Health & Fitness

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2025

⏱️ 13 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Does your child snore, mouth breathe, or seem “wired” instead of tired? Are they struggling with sleep—or is something bigger going on? In this follow-up episode with sleep expert Dr. Shelby Harris, we dive deep into the connection between sleep, behavior, and diagnoses like ADHD. If you’ve ever felt unsure whether your child’s sleep issues are causing daytime struggles—or if the behavioral struggles are disrupting sleep—this episode is for you. We cover: 🧠 How sleep deprivation can mimic ADHD symptoms 😴 When to suspect sleep apnea—and what signs often get missed 👃 Why mouth breathing in babies and toddlers isn’t “just cute” 🕵🏽‍♀️ The questions to ask before jumping to medication or a diagnosis 💊 A balanced, science-based look at melatonin (when it can help—and when to pause) 🛏️ Real-life stories from Dr. Shelby and Dr. Mona’s parenting journeys Plus: 💬 How sleep quality impacts everything from emotional regulation to anxiety—and what to look out for at every age. This episode is all about empowering you with information, not guilt. Because before we assume it’s “just behavior,” we need to explore what’s happening at night. 🎧 Tune in, take notes, and don’t be afraid to advocate for your child’s sleep. It just might be the missing piece. Struggling with your child's sleep? The Essential Guide to Children's Sleep: a Tired Caregiver’s Workbook for Every Age and Stage offers expert tips and easy tools for every age and stage-so you (and your kid) can finally rest. Written by three psychologists (Drs. Roth, Shale and Harris) who are specialists in pediatric behavioral sleep medicine and child psychology, this book is packed with information to help anxious kids and tired parents learn the necessary tips and tricks to help everyone on the road to better sleep. Listen to the full, original episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, it's Dr. Mona and you're listening to the follow-up.
0:05.1	The only part of your Monday that won't involve a tantrum, a sleep-deprived sprint to the car,
0:10.1	or someone yelling, I'm not tired while obviously being tired.
0:14.2	Today's clip is from my conversation with Dr. Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist, sleep expert,
0:18.5	and one of the go-to voices in behavioral sleep medicine. If you've ever wondered whether your child's behavior is a discipline psychologist, sleep expert, and one of the go-to voices in behavioral sleep medicine.
0:21.7	If you've ever wondered whether your child's behavior is a discipline issue or a sleep issue in disguise,
0:27.5	this one's for you. Because here's the truth. A tired child doesn't always look tired. Sometimes
0:32.4	they look hyper or emotional or like they've had three espresso and a bag of jelly beans. And while, yes, behavior matters, so does sleep.
0:40.0	And we need to talk more about that connection.
0:42.5	Today's follow-up is an extremely important conversation surrounding sleep, boundaries, ADHD, and sleep apnea.
0:48.0	I'm also excited to re-release this episode with Dr. Shelby today because she and her colleagues
0:52.6	have a new bookout.
0:54.5	Struggling with your child's sleep, you are not alone and thankfully help is here.
0:58.5	The essential guide to children's sleep, a tired caregiver's workbook for every age and stage,
1:03.8	offers expert tips and easy to use tools for every age and stage so you and your kid can
1:08.5	finally rest.
1:09.4	And this isn't just another sleep book.
1:11.0	It's a sanity-saving roadmap written by three brilliant psychologists, doctors Roth, Shale,
1:15.4	and Harris.
1:15.8	Just the same Dr. Harris you're about to hear from.
1:18.7	All of them are experts in pediatric behavioral sleep medicine and psychology.
1:22.6	Whether you're facing bedtime battles, early wake-ups, or overtired chaos, this book is packed
	...

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