nationally ranked care, close to home
Meet the Care Team
Patient Stories
A teenager doesn't let narcolepsy stand in the way of her goals
Ariel has always been an extraordinary child. The oldest of four siblings, she worked hard in school, and was active and healthy for most of her childhood. So when the 11-year-old stumbled and fell while walking across the street to her grandparents' house, her mom, Erika, thought maybe her daughter was just going through a clumsy phase as she entered her pre-teen years.
Conditions We Treat
Pediatric circadian rhythm disorder
Pediatric hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness)
Insomnia in children
Pediatric narcolepsy
Pediatric parasomnias
Pediatric periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD)
Pediatric sleep disordered breathing (SDB)
Pediatric snoring
Pediatric restless leg syndrome (RLS)
Pediatric delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD)
Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
More Details
Collaborative specialty care for more than a century
For more than 100 years, Children’s Health has put children first. Our goal has always been to offer children the finest care, backed by cutting-edge research and nationally recognized physicians.
All the providers are faculty at UT Southwestern and are actively involved in research, with some of our recent studies focusing on narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea.
When your child is being treated in our Sleep Disorders Program, you will have access to a team of experts trained in the various functions impacted by and during sleep. This committed team includes:
Neurophysiologist
Neurologists
Otolaryngologist (ENT)
Pediatricians and nurse practitioners
Psychologists
Pulmonologists
Registered sleep technologists
Respiratory therapists
Sleep medicine provides answers for sleep disorders
Sleep Medicine studies, diagnoses and provides treatment plans to address sleep disorders. If your child is having problems staying awake or sleeping fully, there are several symptoms to look for that indicate they might need an evaluation (sleep study) conducted in the sleep studies lab.
The Sleep Medicine team will read the data from the evaluation and determine how the factors work together and influence other systems. They will discuss the findings with your family and create a treatment plan that works for your child. This may include follow-up, a therapeutic device or additional appointments with a specialist – like a pulmonologist if there are underlying respiratory issues.
Our Sleep Studies Lab diagnoses and develops care for children with sleep issues and other multi-symptom disorders
Our experienced team knows that sleep issues can impact multiple bodily functions. It can become especially complex when children with chronic conditions or multiple symptoms have problems sleeping or staying awake during the day. It can take a toll on their daily lives, and sometimes make their symptoms worse. We provide comprehensive care that addresses how sleep disorders can impact children with:
Autism, including desensitization
Behavioral health issues, including depression, ADHD and anxiety
Hospitalization (sleep issues while in the hospital)
Neuromuscular conditions (i.e. muscular dystrophy)