Sleep Study

Rachel, whoever is going to stay with the child will not get much sleep. The child will get a bunch of leeds put on their head legs and chest. They usually use a lemon glycern on skin. My son at age 5 slept tru the whole thing we found out he was having real bad reflux and that was affecting his sleep. Bring a favorite book music dvd to help child feel like home we brought a pillow case with buzz light year on it. L.

My son had a sleep study done last year when he was 3. It wasn't bad at all. We went in the night before at his regular bed time and I got him ready for bed. Then they put a bunch of leads on his head for the EEG, his chest and legs for the EKG, and a breathing tube for his nose (but instead of pumping oxygen in it was actually monitoring the carbon dioxide he was exhaling) and there was a camera monitor. No one came in the room to bother him unless the breathing tube needed to be adjusted (which it did 3 times and he hated it so they finally just omitted that portion rather than keep disturbing him). In the morning, they removed all the lead lines, wiped him up and sent us on our way. His head was a complete slimy mess - don't wear nice clothes. My son was being monitored for sleep apnea so I don't know if your experience will be different. It does take some time to put on all of the leads (at least 1/2 hour)but I brought his favorite movie and he just watched that while they did it. You can bring books to read, color, whatever your son enjoys. It doesn't hurt at all but I think some kids don't like to sit still for the lead lines to be attached.

Hi Rachel,

My almost 3 year old daughter has had 3 sleep studies. They try to make it like staying in a motel room as far as the accommodations are concerned, but they do have to put over a dozen leads (wires) on your child's head so that they can monitor him/her. Consequently, my daughter kept pulling them off and really didn't sleep well at all because of the strange environment, constant waking interruptions to fix leads, etc. My husband or I would sleep with her the whole time but it wasn't easy. She was a bit frightened. Make sure you or his/her daddy will be spending the night with her and not plan to sleep much! Good luck!