Emilio was a toddler when his parents noticed he wasn’t getting the oxygen he needed when he slept. They knew they needed to find the right pediatric specialists to help their son.
Enter UC Davis Children’s Hospital, home to a comprehensive pediatric pulmonology and sleep medicine program that offers a variety of services for children with respiratory and sleep conditions.
Emilio’s family met with pulmonologist Dr. Kiran Nandalike and respiratory therapist Audrey Chikalla. A sleep study determined Emilio had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. Emilio also has Down syndrome. Individuals with Down syndrome are much more likely to have OSA than individuals without Down syndrome.
The team determined Emilio needed surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids, the first line of treatment for OSA in children. Thanks to the surgeries, Emilio’s sleep apnea improved for many years. But when he began having trouble again, his medical team decided that Emilio would benefit from CPAP treatment, or continuous positive airway pressure.
Now a consistent CPAP user, Emilio enjoys much better sleep and much better days!
