At Mary Bridge Children’s, we understand how disruptive sleep disorders can be for children and families. Our team brings together experts in both sleep and neurological disorders, ensuring that treatment addresses the full spectrum of your child’s needs.
Types of sleep disorders we treat
The Mary Bridge Children’s Sleep Disorders Clinic includes a board-certified neurologist as well as other physicians who specialize in treating sleep disorders in children. Some of those disorders include:
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Sleep apnea
This is a condition where breathing during sleep is irregular. A child may experience apnea (short pauses in breathing) and hypopnea (shallow, ineffective breathing).
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Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder
These conditions can cause frequent muscle spasms (jerks), leading to sleep disruption or difficulty falling asleep.
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Sleep terrors and other parasomnias
Parasomnias are unusual sleep behaviors such as sleep walking or sleep terrors. They can occur during sleep or while someone is falling asleep.
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Narcolepsy or excessive daytime sleepiness
Narcolepsy is a rare sleep disorder that can cause a person to nod off without warning.
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Circadian rhythm disorders
These disorders occur when the body’s natural clock is out of sync with normal day-night cycles.
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Sleep disorders associated with other neurological disorders
Many neurological disorders carry an increased risk of having a sleep disorder — and sleep loss may also worsen symptoms of neurological disorders in many cases. Neurological conditions associated with sleep disorders include epilepsy, chronic headaches and migraines, autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities, Tourette syndrome, and neuromuscular disorders.
Because sleep disorders can signal an underlying neurological condition, it’s important your child see a sleep specialist who is also qualified to diagnose neurological disorders.
Diagnosing sleep disorders
Our experienced specialists conduct sleep studies to help diagnose and understand sleep disorders in children. Sleep studies are a noninvasive, painless way to monitor your child’s sleep patterns. Your child’s sleep study may include:
- Actigraphy. Similar to a fitness tracker, actigraphy tracks sleep over time to determine how much sleep your child is getting. Usually, a child must wear this wristwatch-like device for 10 days.
- Polysomnography. This type of test monitors brain waves and other bodily functions to evaluate the quality of your child’s sleep. During the test, your child will need to stay overnight in our sleep center.
- Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). A MSLT helps diagnose narcolepsy by measuring how fast a person falls asleep. Sleep specialists perform this test in the daytime after an overnight study.
What to expect during a sleep study
When you come in for the sleep study, we will set up equipment for your child that includes:
- A sensor on your child’s toe or finger to measure oxygen levels
- Small plastic tabs near your child’s nose to measure breathing
- Small flat discs called electrodes that we attach to your child’s scalp, face, chin and chest. These electrodes measure brain waves, heart rate and eye movement to determine sleep stages.
We believe families are an integral part of the health care team, so we make it easy for you to stay with your child during a sleep study.
Sleep disorders treatment
Treatment depends on the type of sleep disorder your child has. Some of the most common treatments for sleep disorders include:
- CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). Children with sleep apnea may need a CPAP device to keep their airways open while sleeping.
- Tonsil and adenoid removal. Your child’s doctor may recommend surgery by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist to remove the tonsils and adenoids if they cause sleep apnea.
- Medication. Various medications are available for treating sleep disorders. Doctors may prescribe drugs such as Klonopin® (clonazepam) for parasomnias and Provigil® (modafinil) for narcolepsy.
- Improving sleep habits. In many cases, sleep disorders result from poor sleep habits. Our experts work with you to identify specific strategies for improving sleep hygiene. Our pediatric psychology and psychiatry team can help in cases of behavioral sleep disorders.
Comprehensive sleep disorders support
We offer a full range of services to make sleep disorder diagnosis and treatment easier on your family, including access to care managers and social workers who can help answer your questions and coordinate care.
Additionally, Mary Bridge Children’s child life specialists are available to support children during procedures and tests, provide reassurance and explain what is happening in developmentally appropriate language. Learn more about how we support you and your child.
Contact us
For more information about neurology care at Mary Bridge Children’s, please call 253-792-6630.