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There are more than 80 different sleep disorders that may affect children. Some of the more common ones are sleep apnea, narcolepsy, parasomnias (such as sleep talking, sleep eating, sleep walking and bedwetting), sleep terrors, nightmares, delayed sleep phase, sleep-limiting disorder and poor sleep hygiene. Sleep disorders in children can lead to diagnoses of ADHD, failure to thrive, and behavioral problems that can affect performance in school. If your child is scheduled for a sleep study, please bring a complete list of all medications he or she is currently taking. It is important for us to know your child's sleep schedule and routine, as well as the child's medical history, when you come to the lab. We spend one-third of our lives asleep. Problems in one-third of our lives can certainly affect the other two-thirds of our lives, so it is important to find out the nature of the sleep problem and explore ways to deal with it. This fictional story depicts a typical scenario of a patient having a sleep study in the Sleep Lab at East Tennessee Children's Hospital. This virtual visit is intended only to give parents and children a brief overview of what to expect during the outpatient sleep study. This scenario will vary depending on your child's health and specific reason for the study. For more information, contact the Children's Hospital Neurology Laboratory at (865) 541-8108 or e-mail us.
My parents and I were given special instructions before the study. I couldn't have any foods or drinks with caffeine or chocolate in them on the day of my study, which wasn't fun because I love chocolate! But Mom said it was really important, so I followed the instructions. The sleep lab staff said I could bring my favorite bedtime and sleep items, such as a quiet toy, blanket, pillow or book. I decided to bring my pillow, my stuffed dog (his name is "Freddy") and a book for my mom to read to me at bedtime. I also picked out my favorite pajamas, the baseball ones, to sleep in. I also had to have a bath at home before going to the hospital. The sleep lab staff said my hair and body had to be clean, and I couldn't put any lotion on after my bath. Mom came to the hospital with me. She is going to spend the night in the sleep lab, too, so it is going to be almost like sleeping at home, except that Dad and my baby sister stayed home. After supper at home with my whole family, Mom and I drove to the hospital, and we got there at about 6:45 p.m. We went to the Admitting area, and Mom signed me in. I played for a few minutes until a nice lady called us back to a little office. She put some information about me in a computer, like my name and address and my parents' names, and some other stuff. At about 7:30, we walked to the Sleep Lab, which is just around the corner from Admitting. Mom carried a bag with my Freddy dog, my book and pajamas. I carried my pillow. A few minutes later, we met the sleep lab workers, Cindy and Deborah. They measured how tall I am and weighed me, and then I put on my pajamas and got ready for bed, just like I do at home. Cindy and Deborah asked my mom some questions about me, such as if I take any medicines and if I've ever been in the hospital before. Then they told my mom and me about everything they would do and answered all our questions. The main question I had was if it would hurt, and they promised me it wouldn't. They said I wouldn't have any shots or needles. I was happy about that. Cindy and Deborah put a lot of sticky things that they called electrodes on my head, above and below my eyes, on my chin, chest and legs. I also had to wear two belts, one around my chest and one around my tummy. The belts tell them when I try to breathe. I also got a special band-aid on my finger with a red light in it. It tells how well my body is getting oxygen. I also had to wear a special mustache under my nose that measures the air going in and out of my nose and mouth. I think I must have looked kind of funny, but it really didn't hurt me at all!
At 8:30, it was time to go to bed. Mom and I sat on the bed in the Sleep Lab room, and she read me the book I brought from home. Deborah turned the lights down low so it was almost dark in the room. I got under the covers and started to get real sleepy, and then I finally fell asleep. During the night, I was asleep, so I don't remember what happened. But Cindy and Deborah told me that they watched from a room next to mine and kept an eye on me all night. They made videotapes of me while I slept so that a sleep doctor could watch and listen to the videos when he was trying to figure out what makes me sleepwalk. All the electrodes stuck on my body were connected to wires that were connected to a machine. This machine took information from my body that the sleep doctor would also need. For some kids that's all that happens during the night. But sometimes, the sleep specialists have to put another special mustache with oxygen under the nose. I needed this because I didn't breathe real well while I was asleep. But the next morning, Deborah told me that the extra oxygen didn't hurt me at all and helped me to sleep better and feel better. At 5 in the morning, Cindy woke me up and asked me how I felt. She also asked my mom a bunch of questions about my bedtime and sleep routine at home. She told Mom and me that the sleep study would be seen and read by the sleep doctor. Soon we'd visit the sleep doctor to find out what the sleep study said about why I sleepwalk. It took Cindy about 5 minutes to take off all the electrodes and belts, and then I put my clothes back on. Mom and I left Children's Hospital at about 5:30 a.m. and drove home so I could have some breakfast and get ready for school. I couldn't wait to get to my kindergarten class to tell my friends all about the night I spent at Children's Hospital! |
My name is Chen, and I am 5 years old. I've been sleepwalking around my house at night, so my pediatrician sent me to Children's Hospital to have a sleep study. My study is scheduled for 7:30 on Tuesday evening, and I'll spend the whole night at Children's Hospital.
Cindy said the test would last about 8 hours, and I would have to wake up really early - between 5 and 5:30 in the morning. I wouldn't even have to be late for kindergarten class, which was good, because I LOVE kindergarten!