April 8, 2009

West Islip, NY – Pediatric sleep apnea affects girls and boys equally and usually begins in the first few years of life, though it may go undiagnosed. Doctors at Good Samaritan Hospital’s Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders have special expertise in treating pediatric sleep apnea. The center operates the only free-standing, state-of-the-art pediatric sleep diagnostic facility in the region. The multidisciplinary center provides a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with a number of sleep problems.  The staff includes physicians who are board certified in pediatric pulmonology, sleep medicine, and pediatric critical care, nurses, sleeps technologists and respiratory therapists.

When a child’s breathing is obstructed during sleep, the body perceives this as choking. The heart rate slows, the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, blood pressure rises and sleep is disrupted. In most cases a child’s vascular system can tolerate the changes in blood pressure and heart rate. However, a child’s brain cannot tolerate the repeated interruptions, leading to a child who is sleep deprived, cranky, and ill behaved. According to Dmitriy Vaysman, MD, Medical Director of Good Samaritan’s Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders, consequences of untreated pediatric sleep disorders may include:

• Snoring: This may be problem, if a child shares a room with a sibling or during sleepovers.
• Sleep deprivation: The child may become moody, inattentive, and disruptive both at home and at school. Classroom and athletic performance may decrease along with overall happiness.
• Abnormal urine production: SDB also causes increased nighttime urine production, and in children, this may lead to bedwetting.
• Growth: Growth hormone is secreted at night. Those with SDB may suffer interruptions in hormone secretion, resulting in slow growth or development.
• Attention deficit disorder (ADD) / attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): There are research findings that identify sleep disordered breathing as a contributing factor to attention deficit disorders.

Often initial diagnosis for children is made parent’s observation of snoring. The child’s pediatrician or primary care provider can provide a referral. An evaluation can be scheduled at the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders by calling (631) 376-4444.  Evaluations and treatment are covered by most health plans as and Medicaid. We also provide and online assessment form which can help you to further determine if you should take additional action.

Good Samaritan’s Center for Pediatric Specialty Care’s mission and primary goal is to provide quality health care for children, allowing them to lead their normal daily lives with fewer hospital admissions and Emergency Department visits. The Center for Pediatric Specialty Care is Good Samaritan’s multispecialty pediatric center. A pediatric specialist is a physician who has received comprehensive training in one sub specialty area of pediatrics. The different areas of expertise include cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, endocrinology, hematology, gastroenterology, and infant/child development and sleep disorders. For more information, please call, (631) 376 4444.

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Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center is a 537-bed (including 100 nursing home beds), voluntary, not-for-profit hospital located in West Islip. The Medical Center, which has 4,400 employees and more than 800 physicians on staff, had 29,000 patient admissions and more than 95,000 emergency room visits in 2008. Good Samaritan is a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island. Visit our website at www.good-samaritan-hospital.org.

Good Samaritan provides approximately $30 million in community service and charity care each year. The Medical Center supplies residents with the tools necessary to maintain good health. This includes community lectures, screenings, health fairs and other community programs and services.