Sleep Disorders Program
George, 12, would sleep all the time. He would sleep in the car on the way to school only three blocks away from his home. He would take cat naps during class for 10-15 minutes then wake up and continue his school work. He would lie down on the ground and sleep at recess while the other kids were playing. When he was getting tired George would have a goofy face and act silly.
George’s mother Carrie took him to a variety of doctors including neurologists to find out why he was always sleeping. No one could figure what was wrong. Finally, he was referred to Gary Feldman, MD medical director, Sleep Disorders Center & Stramski Children’s Developmental Center at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. Dr. Feldman had George participate in a sleep study. George was hooked up to wires and a camera and the staff at the sleep center watched him sleep. During the study, George slept from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and then was asked to take 20-30 minute naps every two hours during the following day. The diagnosis: George has narcolepsy.
“Narcolepsy can be a serious condition and can drastically affect a child’s behavioral and learning capabilities,” says Dr. Feldman. “Once we were able to diagnose George we were able to get him into a treatment plan that allows him to essentially get his life back.”
George is now taking medicine and at school he goes to the nurse’s office during nutrition break and has a 20 minute nap before returning to class. When he comes home from school he also takes a 20-30 minute nap.
Today, with this treatment George no longer falls asleep continuously throughout the day and has learned to manage his condition thanks to the specialized care at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach
Sleep disorders are common in children and often are under diagnosed. According to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly 70 percent of children 10 and under experience some type of sleep problem. Children who have sleep disorders wake up often in the night, which can negatively affect a child’s behavior and learning. The Stramski Children’s Developmental Center at Miller Children’s Hospital has one of the only accredited children’s sleep disorders programs in Southern California.
The Sleep Disorders care team provides a comprehensive approach to helping children with various sleep disorders such as behavioral sleep disorders, including sleep-onset association disorders and problems with limit-setting, rhythm disorders, including delayed sleep phase syndrome, sleep apnea and narcolepsy; and parasomnia, including night terrors, sleepwalking or bed wetting. The Sleep Disorders care team works closely with specialists to evaluate sleep patterns and make recommendations and make sleep disorder diagnosis in children.
Miller Children’s Sleep Lab and Clinic
At times, children may need to spend the night at Miller Children’s Sleep Lab in order to properly evaluate their sleep patterns and behaviors over night. The sleep lab, built in 2006, has four comfortable beds and state-of-the-art equipment that aid the physician in diagnosing a young patient with a sleep disorder. Miller Children’s understands that this may be scary for a child, so one parent or caregiver is allowed to stay over night with their child. The sleep lab is comfortable furnished, which creates a soothing environment.
It is helpful if the child’s parents have a detailed sleep history to share with the doctor to help them better diagnose the child. X-rays and other tests may be preformed depending on the child’s needs. A child life specialist is a part of the care team and will help explain the tests to the young patient to help them feel more at ease and comfortable.
The Sleep Lab is located on the ground floor of Miller Children’s Hospital in the Pediatric Respiratory Therapy Center.
 Accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
To receive a five-year accreditation, a sleep center must meet or exceed all standards for professional health care as designated by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The accreditation process involves detailed inspection of a Center’s facility and staff, including an evaluation of testing procedures, patient contacts and physician training. Additionally, the sleep center’s goals must be clearly stated and include plans for positively affecting the quality of medical care in the community it serves. Miller Children’s is one of only a few accredited pediatric sleep disorders programs in Southern California.
Visit the Sleep Disorders Clinic.
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