Contact: Jamie Ferlanti, Manager of Public Relations
(732) 632-1530
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2002
Pediatric Sleep Center Available At NJ Neuroscience Institute
Edison, NJ-Most people are
aware of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and how they impact adult
lives, but most aren't aware that sleep disorders can occur in our youngest
population--infants, children, and young adults. Until recently, this
population was often overlooked when it came to the study and treatment
of sleep disorders. The Pediatric Sleep Center at New Jersey Neuroscience
Institute, an affiliate of JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ, is changing
all that.
Okey P. Anene, MD, Director of the Children's Neurological Center comments, "Sleep disorders
in the younger population have often gone overlooked. Issues such as Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome were considered unrelated, when in fact there may
be a connection to sleep apnea. And symptoms such as irritability, fatigue,
even hyperactivity were often regarded as youthful behaviors when in fact
they can be indicators of serious sleep and health issues." Anene
notes that sleep disorders can impact children's ability to function during
awake times, as well as impact long-term health and wellness. Adds Anene,
"For issues such as sleep apnea and SIDS, death can be a very real
threat."
Early and accurate diagnosis,
preventative measures, and treatment are essential to managing sleep disorders.
Anene comments that sleep disorders can show themselves in a number of
ways, including:
· Bedtime resistance
· Snoring
· Noisy or troubled breathing
· Breathing through ones mouth
· Difficulty in falling or staying asleep
· Night terrors
· Sleep walking
· Bed-wetting.
· Excessive sleepiness
· Hyperactivity
· Irritability
· Difficulty in school
" Sleep disorders in the youngest population are more far-reaching
than some might anticipate," notes Anene. Approximately one-fifth
to one-quarter of all children suffer with some form of a sleep disorder.
"There are many reasons why a young person may have a disorder which
is why it is important to have a multi-disciplinary approach for proper
evaluation and treatment as it allows the disorder to be reviewed from
many different perspectives."
The Pediatric Sleep Disorder
Center at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute offers a multi-disciplinary
center dedicated to children and young adults. The Center provides resources
for the evaluation and management of a full range of sleep concerns, from
the most common disorders to the most rare.
The sleep lab is equipped with state-of-the-art digital monitoring devices.
Technologists provide round-the-clock observation and monitoring. "The
rooms are designed to be kid-friendly," says Kay Rahman, Technical
and Administrative Director of the sleep lab. "In addition, parents
are able to spend the night in an adjacent bed in the child's room"
The Sleep Disorder Center at New Jersey Neuroscience Institute was established
in 1999 under the directorship of Arthur S. Walters, MD. Dr. Walters has
published extensively and is recognized nationally and internationally
as an expert in the field of sleep medicine.
The staff at the Center includes physicians board certified in sleep medicine,
board certified pediatric neurologists, nurse clinicians, registered polysomingraphic
technologists, psychologists, and social workers. Pediatric pulmonologists,
pediatric cardiologists, pediatric critical care physicians, pediatric
general surgeons, and ear, nose and throat surgeons are readily available
as consultants.
The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center is a comprehensive facility designed exclusively
for the diagnosis, treatment, and research of complex neurological disorders
in adults and children. Services offered at the Institute include programs
in spine and brain tumors, dizziness and balance disorders, epilepsy,
cerebral palsy, stroke and movement disorders.
For more information on the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, call 732-321-7950
or visit the facility online at www.njneuro.org.
Okey P. Anene, MD, is the Director of the Children's Neurological Center at the NJ Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center.