Introduction to Pediatric Sleep Clinic and Sleep Testing

Abstract

This chapter covers the diagnostic evaluation of children and adolescents referred to sleep centers. Diagnosis of sleep disorders in children begins with a structured history. Pediatric sleep questionnaires can be useful. Polysomnography can be frightening for children, and child-friendly polysomnography techniques are discussed. The authors outline how sleep studies are scored in children. The use of actigraphy, nocturnal home oximetry, and multiple sleep latency testing is reviewed. Smartphone apps for monitoring sleep/wake are summarized. The authors believe that more evidence of the validity of smartphone apps is needed before we accept data from them and integrate this information into decision making and the electronic medical records.