What happens to your child during a sleep study?
In order to record your child s sleep, we will have you and your child come to the Sleep Disorders laboratory approximately one hour prior to his/her normal bedtime (the exact arrival time will be scheduled by the Laboratory staff).
- After you arrive, a trained technician will tape small sensors to your child s scalp and face. These sensors will record brain waves, eye movements, and chin muscle activity, allowing us to objectively measure your child s sleep.
- To record breathing patterns during the night, your child will wear thin elastic belts around the chest and stomach, and have a small temperature sensor taped below the nose. A small light probe placed on a fingertip measures oxygen level in the blood.
- To record heart rate, two small sensors are taped near your child s collar bones.
- To record leg muscle activity, several small sensors will be taped on muscle areas near the shin bones.
- The technician will record your child s sleep positions (i.e., sleeping on his/her back, stomach or sides) throughout the night with the aid of an infrared video system. Should we need to videotape your child s body position or activity during sleep to aid in diagnosing the sleep problem, we will do so only with your permission.
- Your child will sleep in a private bedroom during the study. You will be allowed to stay overnight with your child. There are no needles used in this procedure. During the entire night, a trained technician will be available and will be monitoring using an intercom system. When your child wants to get up in the morning, the technician will remove the sensors (approximately 15 minutes) and your child will be free to leave.
Approximately two weeks following the sleep study, the Pediatric Sleep Disorders Clinic will have the results of the study and will contact you for a follow-up appointment.