What does “sleep through the night” actually mean? Not surprisingly, this means different things to different people and it strongly depends on the age of the child. Sleeping through the night involves several hours of consolidated sleep. For a 5-year-old this might be 10-12 hours. For a [...]
My oldest child has narcolepsy. Do I need to be worried that my toddler will have it too? First degree relatives of people who have narcolepsy only have a 1-2% risk of developing narcolepsy. A first degree relative is a person’s child, sibling (brother or sister), or parent. In addition, familial [...]
My toddler has epilepsy, what are some things to consider about her sleep? Sleep deprivation can cause an increase in seizures. So, ensuring that your child gets enough sleep (for her age) is vital. Also, many sleep disorders disrupt sleep and can lead to sleep deprivation. Therefore, it is [...]
My child has bad environmental allergies. How can that affect her sleep? Allergies can cause nasal obstruction (blockage) and snoring at night which in turn can disrupt normal sleep. If your child has underlying asthma, symptoms may be worse at night. As part of treatment by your health care [...]
How old do you have to be to get a diagnosis of asthma? How do I know if my toddler has it, and how can that affect his sleep? In young children who cannot perform lung function tests, asthma can be hard to diagnose. Clues might include persistent cough at night, coughing or wheezing with [...]
My child coughs at night. What can I do I help her to sleep better? It is important to check in with your health care provider to look for underlying causes of a cough that lasts for more than 3 to 4 weeks. If your child does not have an acute infection, your provider might order some tests to [...]
My young child was referred for a sleep study (polysomnography, polysomnogram, PSG). What can I expect when I get there? A parent or caregiver is usually required to spend the night next to the child during a sleep study. So, you will be right there with your child. A sleep study is a painless [...]
If my child snores, what can I expect in terms of further assessment and possible treatment? First, if your child snores and/or you are concerned that your child may have obstructive sleep apnea, be sure to contact your health care provider. Second, your health care provider can help you figure [...]
My baby has sleep apnea. Can she die in her sleep? There is a theory that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) might be linked to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA); however, the cause of SIDS is almost by definition unknown. There are a number of significant protective factors against SIDS, including [...]
What are some conditions, or risk factors, that make it more likely for my child to have obstructive sleep apnea? Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is most common in children ranging in age between 2 and 4 years due to large tonsils and adenoids and relatively small upper airways. Other risk factors [...]