A team of specialists, including a sleep-medicine psychologist

At both sleep centers, you’ll have access to a full team of sleep medicine experts. This multidisciplinary approach helps us address sleep disorders from different specialty areas.

Our team of sleep-medicine trained experts includes:

• Sleep psychologists: We’re one of a handful of centers in the country to have a dedicated board-certified sleep medicine psychologist. They treat sleep disorders using cognitive behavioral therapy, which includes behavior and lifestyle changes.

• Pulmonologists: Our pulmonologists treat sleep-related lung and breathing problems.

• Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists: Our ENTs (or otolaryngologists) treat nasal and airway obstruction, snoring and sleep apnea.

• Neurologists: Our neurologists treat sleep disorders that affect the nervous system.

• Family medicine doctors: These doctors have expertise in pediatric sleep medicine and can evaluate and treat common sleep disorders.

• Nurse practitioners (NPs): Our NPs work with our sleep doctors to evaluate and treat common sleep conditions.

• Registered sleep technologists: Our technologists perform sleep studies. They also teach and support families who need to use equipment for obstructed breathing.

Offering every type of sleep study for children

Each year, we perform more than 5,000 sleep studies for children in our two sleep labs . Our staff has years of experience making children feel as comfortable as possible during a sleep study, including children with Down syndrome or neurodivergent children.

We offer the full range of sleep studies, including:

• Diagnostic study (polysomnogram): During this overnight study, we attach painless electrodes to your child’s body. These electrodes monitor brain waves, breathing, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and body movements.

• Titration sleep study: During this study, we adjust how much pressurized air a child receives. The goal is to find the right level to control sleep apnea.

• Split night study: This is a combination of a diagnostic study and a titration study.

• Daytime nap study: Children who are extra sleepy may need a daytime nap study, also called a multiple sleep latency test or MSLT. This study measures how fast a child falls asleep and goes into rapid eye movement (REM).

• Tracheostomy decannulation sleep study: For children who’ve had a tracheostomy, this test helps us decide when it’s time to remove the tracheostomy tube. With the tube capped, we monitor your child’s breathing during sleep to make sure they can breathe well.

Using research and teaching to advance the field of sleep medicine

Research studies show that an estimated 20% to 30% of children have trouble sleeping. Our passion for helping children sleep better extends to training the next generation of sleep specialists and advancing treatments through research.

Ongoing sleep medicine research for sleep disorders

Our team has been involved in several important sleep medicine studies, including:

• A study on the relationship between weight-loss surgery in children (bariatric surgery) and sleep-related breathing problems.

• A study focused on how often children who have a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia also have sleep problems.

• A study that led to a new treatment for narcolepsy called sodium oxybate.

Training the next generation of sleep specialists

Through our sleep medicine fellowship program, we train medical professionals from internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, neurology and psychiatry. Our goal is to help them become the best sleep specialists to meet your child’s needs.

Treating all types of sleep disorders in kids with complex or chronic conditions

Sleep issues can affect many different systems and functions in our bodies. For children who have a complex or long-term condition, poor sleep means more than just feeling tired or cranky. Poor sleep can also worsen symptoms of other health conditions.

We provide expert care to address sleep disorders in children who have:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

• Behavioral health issues, including depression, ADHD and anxiety

• Chronic asthma

• Chronic sinus allergies

• Craniofacial differences

• Down syndrome

• Epilepsy

• Neuromuscular conditions, including muscular dystrophy

• Obesity

The only pediatric sleep center in North Texas to offer Inspire therapy

Children’s Health is the only pediatric sleep center in North Texas to offer Inspire® therapy (also called hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this therapy for children age 13 and older who have both Down syndrome and sleep apnea. Inspire therapy is an implantable device that stimulates the hypoglossal nerve, which helps keep a child’s airway open during sleep. Inspire Therapy can be a welcome alternative to CPAP because children don’t need to wear a mask and hose.