Your Child’s Overnight Sleep Study

Important information:

A sleep study checks your child’s breathing and movements during sleep to see if they might have obstructive sleep apnea or other sleep disorders. The study is done in one of CHOP’s three sleep laboratories. For more information or to schedule, call the CHOP Sleep Lab at 215-590-3703. 

Patient instructions:

Before the sleep study 

• Medications: Check with your child’s healthcare provider to see if any medications need to be stopped. Some medicines cannot be taken 3 to 14 days before the study, as they can affect the results.

• Preparation: Explain the sleep study to your child in simple terms, reassuring them it won’t hurt and no needles are involved. Show them the CHOP sleep study video to help them understand what to expect.

• Health: If your child is sick (vomiting, diarrhea, fever), call the sleep lab to reschedule. If you need to cancel, do so as soon as possible.

What to bring

• Clothing: Wear or bring comfortable, loose-fitting clothes.

• Snacks and comfort items: The sleep lab does not provide meals, so bring snacks and treats. Bring a favorite movie, stuffed animal, blanket, or pillow to help your child feel comfortable.

• Medications and equipment: Bring all of your child’s medicines, formula, special foods, and medical equipment. Note that sleep technicians cannot give any medicines.

Day of the sleep study

• Arrival: Check in at the Sleep Lab by 6:30 PM. Avoid letting your child nap too long that day, and plan to bring food or have dinner at CHOP checking in.

• Setup: A sleep technician will find out your child’s normal bedtime. They will set up monitoring equipment. This process takes about an hour. You can bring a favorite toy or story to help keep your child calm during setup. The monitoring equipment will measure:

  • Oxygen levels: A bandage-like sensor on your child’s toe or finger measures the amount of oxygen in their blood.

  • Breathing airflow: Small plastic prongs placed on your child’s nose measure the airflow coming in and out.

  • Chest and abdominal movement: Elastic or cloth belts placed around the chest and stomach track breathing patterns and movement.

  • Sleep stages and muscle activity: Stick-on electrodes on the face, chest, and head monitor eye movements, muscle activity, and different sleep stages throughout the night.

• Overnight stay: The study usually ends by 7:00 AM, but it might finish earlier. A parent or legal guardian must stay overnight with the child. Each room has a fold-out bed or couch and comfortably fits your child and one adult. If both parents need to stay, let the lab know 48 hours in advance.

After the Sleep Study

Results will be available 1-2 weeks after the study. Your child’s healthcare provider will discuss the findings and any recommended treatments.

Questions

For more information, call the CHOP Sleep Lab at (215-590-3703), visit the CHOP Sleep Center website, or talk to your child’s healthcare provider.

Reviewed October 2024 by Danna Tauber MD, MPH