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“Robert has always had difficulty in school. His teachers described him as distracted, unfocused, inattentive, and unmotivated. I sent him to several physicians, each with a different diagnosis. He’s been labeled “Attention-Deficit Disorder”, “Central Auditory Processing Disorder”, “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder”, and “Oppositional Defiant Disorder”. He has been on medication that either made him sleep through school or caused violent outbursts. He was morbidly overweight due to his lack of interest in exercise and he developed an extreme paranoia of P.E. due to his weight and kids picking on him. His grades were never any better than a C or D, even though he was in special education for a learning disability. Finally, I mentioned my concern for Robert and completed the Sleep Disorder Inventory for Students. Following the sleep survey, we visited a pediatric sleep specialist. It was determined, after a sleep study, that Robert was having 67 apnea or apnea-like episodes per night, and that Robert was just plain tired all the time and unable to focus. On July 16th, Robert underwent a surgical procedure removing his adenoids and tonsils. By September, Robert had dropped an amazing 26 lbs. and grew 1 ½ inches! His self-confidence is out of this world! He is popular in school, talking to girls, and the most astounding is his first report card—straight A’s. His teachers are even talking about dismissing him from the Learning Disabilities Program because he is doing too well for those classes. His life is completely changed. I’m seeing a happier, better adjusted son.”
Naomi Wipert
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“I am the mother of triplet boys who are now age 18 and have been diagnosed with sleep apnea in the past year… . They have each had five surgeries for otitis media with tubes, as well as an adenoidectomy at age two, resulting in speech delays and learning disabilities. Allergies and learning disabilities have sent us to many specialists, etc. They have been on medication for ADD, depression, and social anxiety since about third grade. We have done research and consulted diagnosticians and specialists all their lives…, but NO ONE ever suggested a sleep study. Last year, when I filled out the sleep study questionnaire (Sleep Disorders Inventory for Students-SDIS)…, I was happy to see what the results would be…. It has been so helpful and enlightening. We have had three overnight sleep studies, and Warren and Neil have had surgery to remove their tonsils… I am grateful for the knowledge and help the SDIS and sleep study has provided, and have learned that this sleep disorder is also tied to growth hormones, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, and allergies. I wish that we had found this intervention earlier. Even though we had excellent doctors, no one routinely screened for these types of [sleep] problems. We hope in the future that the SDIS will change that, and children will be saved some of the agony our family has had with this problem. My boys are doing so much better with their social anxiety, rarely show signs of depression now, and are holding down fulltime jobs successfully.” Virginia H., parent of triplets, from Clearwater, FL
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