Monday, June 13, 2011

The Study of Sleep {Juvenile Sleep Study}

Peter gives a thumb's up before attempting to fall asleep connected to dozens of probes and wires at his sleep study.

Before hopping into the deluxe queen bed, Peter adjusts to the confines of the implements of sleep study.

Peter- moments before the glowing red pulse monitor was placed on the tip of his pointer finger.  "ET phone home..."

The most confusing thing about Peter's sleep study, is why it was called a sleep study and not a "try to sleep connected to a thousand wires, flat on your back, while we come in and out of the room to check on you" study.  Actual sleep was in short supply, be assured.


Not only was Peter terribly uncomfortable with the contraptions for the scientific study of his sleep patterns, but he's probably never slept on his back... ever.  So attempting to sleep flat on his back while attached to so many probes was simply asking too much.  At 1:30AM the technician came in, turned on the lights and started talking to Peter.  I figured it must be 7AM and time for the study to end.  But I stumbled over only to find out that Peter had been awake for some time by that point and the tech was coming in to check on him.  My comfy cot (not), hidden behind a partition near Peter's luxury queen bed, was so uncomfortable that I really didn't mind the actual 5:15AM wake up: "Study's over."

What may be revealed has yet to be revealed, but we will know in a few weeks whether or not Peter's restless sleep and seeming fatigue related issues are in fact symptoms of a sleep issue.  If so, we look forward to finding some way to help him get better rest at night.  If not, we can just count this as a great home school science lesson.  Peter has been asking to do more science!

3 comments:

Smith Family said...

Kodie had her sleep study down at Children's in October. We had it initially because it is so hard to get her to go to sleep. It was funny to hear the tech come in the next morning and say "you are right she does have a hard time falling asleep". The results also showed that she has sleep apnea. So now we are in Week 3 of working with adjusting her to a CPAP machine.

Renee from A Baker's Dozen said...

I've had a sleep study, and I agree, there is very little sleep to be had. I'm a light sleeper and NEVER sleep on my back. It was pretty much just a night of utter misery. Hope you find some answers...

Renee B

Anonymous said...

My Dad and Father-in-law both have sleep apnea although they are convinced that the test is rigged so that everyone tests out as having sleep problems. I don't know how they can possibly test how well someone sleeps under such artificial circumstances.