Pushing back school start times has been a topic of discussion at both the national level and local level. Nationally, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have recommended that middle and high schools delay the start of class to align school schedules to the biological sleep rhythms of adolescents. At the local level, a number of school systems in Fairfield County have either implemented, or are considering implementing delayed school start times.
Speaking at a Westport Board of Education meeting on January 13th, Dr. Allison shared her support for pushing back the school start time in Westport, stating, “In summary, many pediatric governing bodies have recommended this and found that it’s better for overall health in many areas,” she said, noting it was “really hard” to overcome a teenager’s biological drive to stay up at least until 11 p.m. and sleep in later.”
As Westport and other towns continue to discuss the implications of delayed start times, the physicians and PA’s at Willows Pediatrics will continue to advocate for the health of our families and patients.