ASTEP Course Boosts Pediatric Sleep Care

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has released a new online course, ASTEP Clinical Intro to Pediatric Sleep & Sleep Disorders, designed to equip pediatric clinicians with practical skills for identifying and treating sleep disorders in children and adolescents.

Course Overview

ASTEP Clinical Intro to Pediatric Sleep & Sleep Disorders is a self-paced, evidence-based program that focuses on the sleep knowledge most relevant to everyday pediatric practice. The curriculum is delivered by pediatric sleep experts and includes interactive modules, case studies, and assessment tools. The course is available online, allowing clinicians to complete it at their convenience while maintaining their clinical responsibilities.

For those interested in the impact of the program, enrollment and completion statistics are available on our stats page. The course also highlights the team of educators who developed the content; more information can be found on our squad page.

Target Audience

The course is intended for pediatricians, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other clinicians who regularly care for children and adolescents but are not board certified in sleep medicine. It is tailored to busy clinicians who need to integrate sleep assessment into routine visits without extensive additional training.

Learning Outcomes

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify common pediatric sleep disorders using practical clinical assessment strategies.
• Recommend evidence-based treatment approaches.
• Incorporate sleep screening and appropriate referrals into routine pediatric care.
• Counsel families using practical, evidence-based recommendations.
• Recognize when referral to a pediatric sleep specialist is appropriate.

These outcomes are designed to improve early detection of sleep-related concerns that often accompany common pediatric complaints, such as behavioral issues, learning difficulties, or growth delays.

Flexible Delivery and Credentials

The self-paced format allows clinicians to learn at their own speed, fitting the material into busy schedules. Upon completion, learners earn 8.0 continuing medical education (CME) credits and continuing education credits that can be applied to licensure renewal requirements.

The course emphasizes practical application, with modules that can be used immediately in the next patient encounter. By integrating sleep screening into routine visits, clinicians can address sleep-related symptoms before they become more severe.

Clinicians can enroll in the course through the AASM website and begin learning right away. The program is designed to be a quick, effective way to add sleep medicine expertise to a pediatric practice.

Clinicians can earn 8.0 CME credits upon completion.