Pediatric Sleep Lap Helps Kids, Parents Find Rest

Doctor Heidi Connolly meets with a patient and her mother in the Pediatric Sleep Medicine Offices.

Nearly 10 percent of preschoolers snore—especially if they're overweight—and 2 to 4 percent of preschool-aged kids suffer from sleep apnea. To meet the emerging need for pediatric sleep medicine services, the Medical Center opened the first pediatric sleep lab in upstate New York.

The overnight accommodations, outfitted with televisions and cheerful décor, rely on space-saving Murphy beds—one for the child, and one for a parent—that can be folded up into the wall, transforming the quarters into normal exam rooms by day. By working around the clock, the center can conduct as many as 28 overnight studies and 70 daytime appointments each week.