Pediatric sleep disorders

Diagnostic tests and pediatric sleep studies

Many sleep disorders in children are behavioral in nature, so proper diagnosis is important in ruling out more serious causes and determining the right course of treatment.

Tests available include:

• Physical examination
• Detailed review of medication use and family history
• Encephalography (EEG)
• Polysomnography (PSG) or sleep study

In some cases, we may ask parents to keep a detailed history of their child’s sleep patterns in a diary, journal or medical device for one to two weeks to aid in the diagnosis.

Pediatric sleep studies

An overnight sleep study is one of the most valuable tests used by our center. It is a painless and non-invasive recording of the quantity and quality of a child’s sleep. The data obtained from these studies helps us diagnose and treat sleep-related breathing disorders and movement disorders. At Atlantic Health, we offer polysomnography for children from birth age through 18.

What to expect

We understand that children who have difficulty sleeping can be a great source of anxiety for parents. If your son or daughter is scheduled for a polysomnography or sleep study with us, knowing what to expect may help put your mind at ease.

Shortly before your child’s usual bedtime, we’ll ask that you arrive at our center and prepare your child for bed the way you normally would. One of our sleep technologists will then place several small sensors on your child’s scalp, face, chest, abdomen and legs.

After he or she falls asleep, we will use the sensors to monitor and record brain wave activity, eye movements, muscle activity, heart activity and breathing pattern. You may sleep alongside your child throughout the night.

Once the test is completed, one of our physicians will carefully analyze your results and get back to you with a diagnosis and treatment recommendations.

Treatment options for pediatric sleep disorders

Treating a pediatric sleep disorder depends largely on the type of sleep problem the child is experiencing. We treat:

• Circadian rhythm disorder – Children who have difficulty maintaining regular sleep patterns may benefit from behavioral modifications, such as not staying in bed during daytime hours and keeping to a regular schedule of activities and mealtimes.
• Narcolepsy – Excessive sleepiness may need to be treated medically.
• Obstructive sleep apnea – OSA may be treated by losing weight, using nasal sprays and changing sleep positions. In more severe cases, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine may be necessary.
• Parasomnias – Household safety measures, such as moving furniture and blocking staircases, are often necessary to ensure sleepwalkers don’t trip and fall.

Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in children

There are several different methods for treating children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but which one is most appropriate will often depend on the severity of the condition. Our sleep experts will review each patient’s sleep study results, medical history and upper airway structure before making a treatment recommendation.

The goal of care in most cases is to prevent obstructions from occurring by widening the airway. Our center accomplishes this though:

• Weight loss – For overweight people with mild cases of OSA, diets and exercise may help alleviate symptoms.
• Surgical referral – Surgical procedures, such as a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy may be helpful for many children.
• Continuous positive airway pressure – CPAP, which is the most effective way to treat OSA, uses pressurized air to keep the airway open. This type of therapy requires the patient to sleep with a mask or tubing under the nose connected to an electrical machine that pressurizes the air in the room.
• Bilevel PAP – While CPAP delivers air under constant pressure, Bilevel PAP provides air with varying pressure levels during inhalation and exhalation, improving comfort and tolerance. This is the preferred initial treatment for some patients.