Treatment for upper airway obstruction often includes surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids. In more complicated cases, other surgical procedures are considered, as well as applying ventilatory support during sleep. For primary sleep disorders other than sleep apnea, behavioral modification and specific medications are also prescribed. The Sleep Disorders Center also treats healthy children who may have problems sleeping through the night due to psychological or behavioral reasons. Pediatric behavioral psychologist Dr. Mindell works with patients and families, teaching specific behavioral techniques to help children develop better sleep patterns.
Children are different than adults, particularly when it comes to sleep.
According to Dr. Arens, specific signs may indicate that a child has a respiratory sleep disorder. Symptoms during the night include snoring, difficulty breathing, restlessness and gasping for air. The Sleep Disorders Center team also conducts clinical research pertaining to sleep disorders. Dr. Arens and his staff are currently involved in a study of 600 patients funded by the National Institutes of Health that relies on MRI technology to examine the lower face structure of healthy children versus children with sleep apnea. Founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is ranked today as the best pediatric hospital in the nation by a comprehensive Child Magazine survey.