Our Sleep Study Experience at Southampton Children’s Hospital

A few weeks ago, we had a little adventure—my 3-year-old daughter, Panda, had a sleep study at Southampton Children’s Hospital. She’s had mild sleep apnea, moderate hearing loss (possibly from glue ear), and some eating issues since birth. Though she’s always been a happy little thing, we were finally referred for a pediatric sleep study to understand her sleep patterns better.

Preparing for the Sleep Study

We got our letter with the sleep study appointment details, but it didn’t really say what to bring, so I packed a few of Panda’s favourite home comforts (toys, teddies) and hoped for the best! We arrived at the hospital at 6:30 PM and parked in the hospital car park (£17 for over 12 hours). Once there, we headed to the Pediatric Monitoring Unit (PMU) on the top floor of Southampton Children’s Hospital.

Meeting Lisa, Our Nurse

Lisa, our lovely nurse, met us in a quiet reception area and instantly made us feel at ease. She showed us around, explained the sleep study process, and got us settled into our room. Panda had a hospital bed, and I was in a smaller bed next to her. Lisa was fantastic—she explained everything in such a friendly way that even Panda, at 3 years old, understood what was going on.

The Sleep Study Process

Lisa started the process by attaching two monitors to Panda’s toes, followed by four sticky pads on her chest, and then two bands over her pyjamas. Panda was surprisingly relaxed the whole time, especially with her toys to keep her company. The final step was a small tube by her nose, which was a bit tickly but nothing too uncomfortable. She was then connected to a small diagnostic box and a CO2 monitor.

I tucked her in, put on some white noise, and held her hand while she drifted off to sleep. There was a camera monitoring her movements throughout the night, and Lisa came in every half hour to check on her. The doctor stopped by at 8:30 PM but couldn’t examine her because she was already asleep.

The Morning After

Lisa came in at 6 AM to unplug Panda and upload the data. Panda woke up at 6:30 AM, happy and ready to go home to see her brother. We were given a discounted parking ticket (always a nice touch!) and headed home.

The trickiest part of the whole experience? Getting the sticky sensors off in the bath later that day—definitely make sure to get them really wet before trying to peel them off! We’ll get the sleep study results in 8–10 weeks and are hopeful it will shed some light on Panda’s sleep patterns.

If you’ve had a similar experience or want to share feedback with Southampton Children’s Hospital, you can do so here: Tell Us About Your Experience.