Significance of Sleep Studies

Sleep problems can occur at any age, but when toddlers, children or young adults are the ones experiencing them, they can have a big impact on the entire family. Specifically, one to five percent of children, from newborns to teenagers, experience obstructive sleep apnea. While the effects may be significant, many children are not diagnosed or treated due to insufficient access to testing. A team at Children's Hospital Colorado has been preparing a recommendation on how and when to use home sleep apnea testing in kids.

To explore this topic, we are joined by Antoinette Burns, DO, who specializes in pediatrics and sleep medicine at Children's Colorado. She is also an associate professor of clinical practice, Department of Pediatrics-Pulmonary Medicine, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Some highlights from this episode include:

• An explanation of obstructive sleep apnea.
• New modalities for sleep apnea testing.
• Barriers for accessing testing and how to combat them.
• Suggestions on what primary care providers should do when they think their patient might have obstructive sleep apnea.

For more information on Children's Colorado, visit: childrenscolorado.org.