Sleep Study Support: Daniel's Story

Respiratory issues in children can often become magnified during their sleep, so it’s crucial for medical teams to get a full understanding of how their breathing is affected through the night by undertaking sleep studies.

The Respiratory team carry out 1,700 sleep studies on average each year to care for children with sleep disordered breathing. This is Daniel’s Story.

Sleep Studies in the Hospital

12-year-old Daniel has undergone several sleep studies over the past 7 years, to help doctors better understand his sleep apnoea. His mum, Fiona, shares how the kindness, care and support shown by the Respiratory and Sleep Physiology team have helped to support both she and her son:

“They're all amazing at their job. When we’ve been at the hospital for a sleep study, the team explain the process and what's going to happen. They show Daniel, and talk him through it – then it's bedtime.

They do an excellent job at preparing him for this as he's autistic, and often needs clear, authoritative instructions. He's always quite happy with the studies and tolerates them well.”

Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity have also helped make Fiona’s time in hospital with Daniel a little easier, through the pull-down beds in ward rooms.

“The beds are amazing if you're staying overnight. Daniel was in and out of hospital when he was a baby, and for a lot of years and it was just a chair. So that bed is very welcome!”

Fiona, Daniel's Mum

At Home Sleep Studies

Sometimes, sleep studies are carried out at home. Our Volunteer Drivers can pick up and drop off equipment to parents and carers, making the entire process smoother, and reducing practical and financial obstacles. Fiona adds:

“Having the option of Volunteer Drivers is amazing. On one occasion, I was panicking as Daniel wasn't very well and I was wondering how I was going to get this to and from Glasgow. But the team called and said, ‘You don't need to.’

The Volunteer Driver dropped it off and then came and collected it the following day. They were very specific. They gave certain times which was great, it helped a lot.”

Our Volunteer Drivers also support the Donor Milk Bank, Gastro and Cardiology Departments, travelling all over Scotland to support young patients like Daniel.

We are always looking for new volunteers to join our team of dedicated drivers and make an amazing difference to our hospital families through supporting our vital services.