We're scheduled to have a sleep study for our son in a couple of weeks and saw the doc yesterday to get some practice gear so he could get used to the idea. (testing for sleep apnea) He's a very tentative kid when it comes to new things. I'd like to make a game of getting the little tube/mask thing on him at night, but am at a loss as how to start it. Any ideas from mama's who've been there?
I'd put it on myself first and pretend to be an astronaut (or something your son might relate to). I would have a good ole time in the mask, then put my head on the pillow and pretend to sleep in it........then offer him a turn.
Well I have no experience with this at all, but my child is also very tenative, so I do have experience there! With her, I have to prep her way in advance for any trip, change of schedule, etc. So, I would show him the gear first and talk about and tell him that in a day or two you're going to practice wearing it. Just leave it out and let him look at it and play with it for a bit. If he wants to put it on right away, go for it, if he's a bit more hesitant say today we're just looking, but tomorrow we're going to try wearing it. Remind him periodically throughout the day. Then wear it for a day or two during the day, then move to night. I don't know how many days you have, but I know if it were my little one it would take a weeks worth of prep! ;) Good luck and I hope things turn out okay for him!!
We didn't have to go through a sleep study with my daughter. I just described her breathing at night and that was good enough. She was a very heavy snorer and then would stop breathing every 3 or 4 breaths and miss a couple of breaths each time. That was good enough to know that there were problems. She had her tonsils and adnoids removed (tonsils were huge - adenoids, too) and she was also not growing at the rate she should have been. Since the tonsil have come out at age 4, she sleeps so much more soundly. She is much better rested and rarely skips a breath. Of course it is harder to tell now that she doesn't snore as much or loudly.
D.
My husband was just diagnosed with sleep apnea recently and he got a loaner machine for 1 week to see if it helped him, now we have to buy one because it did. He felt better and had more energy because he was getting a good nights sleep. Our kids (22mo & almost 4) saw it and wanted to know what it was so we explained it and he put it on so the kids could see and not be afraid. After that our son (4) constantly wanted to put it on and be like daddy. I like the idea of the astronaut thing, it could help. Good luck.
Did you get to take a tour of the sleep center where he'll be getting the sleep study done. My 4 1/2 year old has been through a lot of medical stuff so anything having to do with tubes and stuff, he gets freaked out by. But, we were able to go and take a look at the room where he was going to sleep and they showed him everything. The only thing they were worried about was making sure the nasal cannula would stay in..so we asked for an adult sized one so I could put one on too. Then, of course his older brother put the adult sized one on and it all worked out. I hope that helps. He did OK at the sleep study...we just kept calling him robot boy and he thought that was great.
When my daughter was 2.5 I noticed she was snoring and would stop breathing for a few seconds and gasp for air while she was asleep. I took a short video of her napping on the couch and took her to see her pediatrician. The Dr. said her tonsils were very large and may need to be removed so we were referred to a pediatric ENT specialist. I showed him the video and explained her other symptoms I had noticed, (not sleeping well, always tired and crabby, sweating while sleeping, not talking as clearly as her twin sister). We scheduled surgery for the following week (no sleep study needed) and she had her tonsils and adenoids removed. Immediately her voice changed! She regressed a bit and was very needy and wanted to just sit on my lap for a couple weeks afterwards. But when she fully recovered she was a changed child! She ate better, slept better, was more cooperative and communicative, and really came out of her shell. So anyway, I just wanted to share our experience and let you know that if your son needs surgery, it can be difficult, but it works out to be a great thing in the end. Good luck.
I sent you a private message with contact information. Please call. Good luck!
