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Polysomnography (sleep study)Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child. Key points to remember
 Back to TopWhat is polysomnography?
It involves sleeping with multiple sensors (as many as 30) attached to the person's body. This provides information about the quality of sleep and can detect problems that occur with a person’s breathing while they are asleep.
Sometimes abbreviated studies using fewer sensors (such as 'oximetry' or 'cardio-respiratory' studies) may be adequate, avoiding the need for a full polysomnogram.
See the following fact sheet on this website:
Back to TopHow is polysomnography performed?A sleep study involves measuring your child's sleep and breathing patterns. This requires attaching small sensors to your child's head, face and chest. These sensors stick to the skin and are connected to monitors by thin wires. A sensor at the nose measures whether there are any pauses in your child's breathing and bands around the chest and tummy measure how hard your child is trying to breathe.
It takes one to two hours to place all the sensors but does not hurt.
Your child will usually need to sleep the night with the sensors in place, either on a hospital ward or special sleep unit. An audio and video recording may also be made of their sleep at the same time.
You stay with your child throughout the process - both to support your child and help staff keep the sensors in place.
While polysomnography doesn't hurt, some children find the sensors uncomfortable and young children may find them distressing. Like many tests in childhood, they can be a challenge to perform for both staff and family.
Sometimes a finger prick blood test is requested the following morning.
The sensors are removed after your child has woken the next day.
Polysomnography provides a great deal of information about sleep and breathing and takes several hours to fully analyse. You may receive interim results the same day but it may be a week or two before the study is fully analysed and reported.
Back to TopHow can you help?You can help prepare your child by explaining what is going to happen and reassuring them that you will stay with them while they have the test. It is really helpful if you can take something with you for your child to do while the monitors are being attached (such as a favourite toy or book). Taking their own pyjamas and a favourite pillow or blanket may make your child feel more relaxed when sleeping in a strange place. You can spend the night with your child, and this is definitely recommended so that your child has the best possible sleep and the most information can be gained from the test.
Back to TopAre there any risks?There is little risk involved. Very occasionally a child's skin may react to the tapes or sensors resulting in a transient (short-lived) rash. As noted above polysomnography itself is painless but may be uncomfortable and sometimes a blood test is performed in the morning as part of the assessment.
Back to TopWhere to go for more informationOn this website
SAANZ (Sleep Apnoea Association of New Zealand Inc.)
SAANZ is a national support group (for adults and children) which aims to promote awareness of sleep apnoea and sleep disorders. Their website provides a fact sheet on childhood snoring and sleep apnoea.
Website: http://www.sleepapnoeanz.org.nz/
Back to TopAcknowledgementsPhoto
The photo "A boy with sensors attached ready for a sleep study or polysomnogram" has been provided by the Starship Respiratory Service. Consent has only been given for the photo to be used on this website so please don't reproduce it elsewhere.
Back to TopYour notesEndorsement
This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 23/06/2010
CopyrightFact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation. © The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2012
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