Sleep Center

The Pulmonary Medicine Program, rated No. 7 in the nation by Parents magazine, includes Wisconsin's only pediatric sleep center accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. It is one of only 20 accredited centers in the country dedicated solely to children. The Pulmonary Medicine Program also places special emphasis on cystic fibrosis care and research.

The only accredited Pediatric Sleep Center in Wisconsin

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Request an Appointment Family Accommodations Billing Information Virtual Tours West Tower Virtual Tour Handouts/Teaching Sheets Is your family getting enough sleep? Why choose the Sleep Center at Children's Hospital?

The Sleep Center at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin was founded in 1981 to diagnose and treat infants with apnea. Since then, the Sleep Center has grown into a state-of-the art facility, with specially trained staff who diagnose and treat children of all ages with respiratory, non-respiratory and behavioral sleep disorders. 

Most children first visit the Pediatric Sleep Disorders Clinic for evaluation. Some children require only behavioral intervention. Other children may need further evaluation in the sleep laboratory to diagnose and treat their symptoms.

The four-bed sleep laboratory makes each child and family feel at home. It's one of the only sleep laboratories in Wisconsin that treats patients from newborns to special needs adults. Physicians are board-certified intensivists and/or pediatric pulmonologists specializing in children with sleep disorders. A pediatric nurse practitioner compliments the physician practice. Polysomnography technicians are all Wisconsin state licensed respiratory care practitioners and able to care for medically complex patients.

In February 2006, the Sleep Center at Children's Hospital received accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, making it the only accredited Pediatric Sleep Center in Wisconsin.

For more information, call (414) 266-2790. Or take a Virtual Tour of the Sleep Center.

Common sleep disorders

Children spend at least one-third of their time asleep. Shouldn't they get the most out of that time?

The most common sleep disorders in children include:

1. Obstructive sleep apnea.
2. Behavioral sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep-onset 
   association disorders.
3. Circadian rhythm disorders such as delayed sleep phase
   syndrome.
4. Narcolepsy.
5. Parasomnias such as night terrors sleepwalking or bedwetting.

Questions for parents:

• Does your child snore?
• Does your child get enough sleep?
• Does your child have problems falling asleep or staying asleep?
• Is it difficult to wake your child in the morning?
• Is your child tired or falling asleep during the day?
• Does your child have frequent nightmares, night terrors, or
  episodes of sleepwalking?
• Does your child wet the bed?

If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," your patient may benefit from a referral to the Sleep Center.

Our commitment to children and restful sleep

A recent survey sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation found that 30 percent of parents of toddlers, preschool and school-age children believe their children were getting less than enough sleep. Seventy-six percent of parents would change something about their child's sleep behavior.

Sleep disorders are quite common in children, but often are under-diagnosed. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin can help parents answer their questions about their child's sleep problems. Children's Hospital is home to the state's only board-certified sleep specialists dedicated solely to children. We care for patients from newborns to special need adults.

Clinic is key part of Sleep Center

The Sleep Center is a comprehensive program for helping children with sleep disorders throughout the Midwest. The Pediatric Sleep Disorders Clinic sees children with respiratory, non-respiratory and behavioral sleep disorders. Access to consultants from pediatric otolaryngology, gastroenterology, neurology, craniofacial, child psychology and developmental pediatrics departments ensure thorough and accurate diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of sleep problems.

Symptoms that often require a referral include: 

• Loud snoring.
• Apnea.
• Difficulty breathing during sleep. 
• Difficult to wake up even though he/she seems to have enough sleep.
• Hyperactivity or difficulty concentrating in school. 
• Difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep.
• Fall asleep or daydream in school. 
• Frequent nightmares, night terrors or sleep walking.

Facing challenges head-on

The Sleep Center is equipped to evaluate and treat children of varying medical complexity. This includes children who snore or who have noisy breathing, and those who may be suffering from sleep apnea or other respiratory or non-respiratory sleep disorders.

Study modalities include:

• Overnight sleep studies with optional limb monitoring, enuresis monitoring, end–tidal CO2 monitoring, esophageal pressure monitoring, and EEG seizure montage.
• Esophageal pH studies. 
• Multiple sleep latency tests.
• CPAP/BiPAP titrations. 
• Actigraphy.
• Adjusting and monitoring home ventilator settings of medically fragile children and adults who may require support during sleep.