Sleep disorders and breathing disorders during sleep are among the most common issues parents deal with in childhood. These
disorders may result in daytime dysfunction including learning and behavioral disabilities, as well as long term pulmonary, endocrine and heart disease. Obtaining a diagnosis and managing sleep problems early may help children avoid consequences that can affect them in adulthood.
At the Weill Cornell Pediatric Sleep Center, we offer expert diagnosis, treatment and care for sleep disorders for children of all ages. Led by Dr. Haviva Veler, MD,, who is also an assistant attending pediatrician at the NewYork-Presbyterian Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health, our pediatric sleep team is skilled in the evaluation and management of children with behavioral and physiological sleep disorders. Dr. Veler is board certified in Pediatrics, Pediatric Pulmonology and in Sleep Medicine, and is a Diplomat of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. We know the importance of your pediatrician in the comprehensive care of your child, and will promptly and thoroughly communicate with him or her – your child's pediatrician is always part of our care team.
At the Pediatric Sleep Center, we strive to:
Provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art diagnostic evaluation and management with a family centered and patient centered care approach
Educate patients, parents, healthcare trainees and practitioners and the general community about sleep and sleep disorders
Conduct research to gain a better understanding of normal and abnormal sleep in children.
Treatment of Sleep Disorders
In young children, the most common reason for sleep apnea is enlarged tonsils and adenoids and surgical removal of these structures will resolve the apnea in most cases. In other cases, young patients have other reasons for apnea, such as obesity, narrow facial structure, muscle weakness, or residual apnea after surgical interventions. Our areas of expertise include:
Sleep disordered breathing such as sleep apnea, snoring
Behavioral problems such as bedtime struggles, night awakenings
Sleep walking and sleep terrors
Narcolepsy
Apnea of Infancy
Sleep schedule abnormalities such as Circadian rhythm disorders, delayed sleep phase syndrome
Sleeplessness
Movement disorders including periodic limb movement disorder and head banging
Upper airway abnormalities
Breathing problems occurring at night that are secondary to an underlying disease, such as muscle weakness or chronic lung disease
Collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Center
When needed, the Pediatric Sleep Center team closely collaborates with medical and surgical pediatric sub-specialists at the NewYork-Presbyterian Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health, one of the nation's top-ranked Children's Hospitals, providing multidisciplinary care tailored for each child.
