Sleep Laboratory
First appointment
Fpr referrals, please see details below.
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Sleep Laboratory
Our pediatric sleep medicine clinic and laboratory has a dedicated team of health care professionals (doctors, repiratory therapists, nurse and administrative agent) with specific expertise in sleep disorders in children.
First appointment
To request your first appointment, please fill out the form below and send it by email or fax:
- fax: 514-412-4234
- email: [email protected]
Cancellations
Please, notify the lab:
- if your child has any of the following symptoms prior to the test: fever, cold, diarrhea, skin rash, head lice or any other concerns.
- if your child has had a contagious illness within a week of their scheduled test.
- if for any other reason, you cannot attend your appointment.
Important:
- Before 3:30 p.m.: advise the administration agent;
- After 5:30 p.m., call 514-412-4400 extension 23130 to advise the RT.
Services
Our pediatric sleep medicine clinic and laboratory has a dedicated team of health care professionals (doctors, repiratory therapists, nurse and administrative agent) with specific expertise in sleep disorders in children.
We offer the following sleep studies and expertise:
- Consultation with a sleep specialist
- Overnight home oximetry
- Overnight in-hospital sleep study (polysomnography)
- Actigraphy
- Overnight home sleep apnea test
Team
Our dedicated team of healthcare professionals (doctors, repiratory therapists, nurse and administrative agent) has specific expertise in sleep disorders in children.
Dr. Evelyn Constantin
Director
Diana Zinno
RRT, Assistant Manager, Sleep Laboratory
Alice Pilot-Handfield
RRT
Shelley Bartholomew
RRT
Michelina Lorio
Administrative Agent
Lori Seller
Manager, Respiratory and Anesthesia Services
Penny Doucet
RRT
Aires Alago
RRT, Interim Assistant Manager, Sleep laboratory
Chia-Lei (Lily) Guan
RRT
Procedure
Arrival
- The respiratory therapist will greet you in the Pediatric Sleep Laboratory at 6:30 p.m. Please ring the doorbell to announce your arrival.
- You will complete some paperwork.
- We will measure your child’s height and weight before starting the set-up at 7:30 p.m.
- Only one parent is allowed to stay in the room overnight.
Setup and wind down
- During the setup, reading is encouraged. Soft music can also be played.
- After the set-up, lights will be dimmed and then turned off. No phones, tablets or TV are allowed in the room during this wind-down period.
Sleep
- The RT will observe your child’s sleep and breathing the entire night.
- Once your child has fallen asleep, the RT may remove the bed covers so they can see their face, chest and sometimes their legs at all times. The temperature in the room is at a comfortable level.
- Remain in the room with your child, since the RT may require assistance from you. If you need to step outside, please advise the RT.
- Quiet activities and the use of digital devices with earphones are permitted, but no phone calls.
- If you snore, please advise the RT. You may be asked to move into another room as any noise interferes with your child’s study.
Waking up
- The wake-up process begins at 5 a.m. Removal of the sensors can take up to 20 minutes. You must leave the sleep laboratory by 5:45 a.m. If someone is coming to pick you up, you and your child can wait in the Atrium.
- Sometimes, as part of the sleep test, we will need to take a finger prick blood test in the morning upon waking.
Preparation
We recommend you bring the following items on the day of the test:
- Two-piece pyjamas (with no feet attached to the pyjamas and separate socks). All children must wear sleepwear.
- A list of all medications that your child is taking and any medication needed during the night or in the morning.
- If your child is on BIPAP/CPAP/Trilogy, the equipment, plus all accessories, including the mask, hose and humidifier.
- Formula, milk, snacks, dishes/cutlery: a fridge and microwave are available for parent/patient use. The Sleep Lab is an outpatient department, so hospital meal service is not provided.
- For gavage feeds: bring formula and the feeding pump.
- Personal toiletries and a change of clothes for the next day. The lab provides towels. Note that there is a bathroom with a sink, but no shower.
- Bring a special pillow, blanket, child’s toys or books, white-noise device or a music box, if desired.
Thoroughly wash your child’s hair before the sleep study. The white cream that holds the sensors in place is very sticky, but is easily removed with warm water and shampoo. If you prefer to do this at home, bring a hat for your child.
Adolescents are encouraged to shower and shave beforehand, if applicable.
Overnight home oximetry
An oximetry test is done with a machine called a pulse oximeter. Overnight pulse oximetry is done at home to measure oxygen levels when a child is asleep. This helps us determine if there is disordered breathing during sleep. This can be due to:
- Narrowing or obstruction of the airway leading to snoring or noisy breathing
- Pauses in breathing (apnea)
- Shallow breathing (hypoventilation)
The machine has a sensor which is like a band-aid with light that measures the amount of oxygen in your child’s blood, as well as their heart rate. At home, you will place the sensor on your child’s toe. It is very simple to apply and use.
On the day of your child’s appointment, you will come to the Pediatric Sleep Laboratory to pick up the oximetry machine. This will take about 30-40 minutes. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire and will receive instructions on how to use the oximetry machine, how to place the sensor on your child’s toe and how to fill in the sleep log.
You must return the oximetry machine to the Sleep Laboratory the next day at 8:00 a.m. In some cases, you may be asked to bring your child in for a medical appointment/consultation with the sleep specialist either on the day you pick up or the day you return the machine.
Polysomnography
A polysomnography is a more detailed sleep study that records your child’s sleeping and breathing patterns. It is done in the hospital and is used to investigate breathing problems during sleep.
- Multiple sensors will be applied to your child’s head, face and chest, and maybe legs. These sensors allow us to record many signals related to your child’s sleep and breathing.
- There are no needles involved in the set-up process. All sensors are applied with either tape or sticky cream, and these sensors do not hurt.
- The set-up of the polysomnography can take up to 1 hour. You will be with your child throughout the process.
- All children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver overnight; a cot with linen is provided for one parent/caregiver.
The results of this test will be sent to your referring doctor.