I'm fairly certain DS has sleep apnoea.
He -
• Stops breathing occasionally in his sleep - not really frequently but much worse when hes sick.
• Sleeps with his mouth open
• Snores
• Grinds his teeth in his sleep - I can hear him grinding them from my bedroom.
• Recurring throat infections (Hes been on antibiotics for 3 in the last 9 months plus random temp spikes, colds and minor viral things he hasnt been to the gp for almost always accompanied by a sore thoat/blocked nose)
• Is constantly tired and short tempered during the day
• Hyperactive, difficulty concentrating, behavioural issues, changes in behaviour - he used to be such a placid little guy and is now getting steadily more difficult despite my best attempts to help him.
It sucks and Im scared but I also wonder if this diagnoses could solve our problems? Could the answer be as simple as this?
What is your experience?
How long until he can be seen in the public system?
How much is it to go private?
What does the diagnostic process?
If he is diagnosed, what can we expect?
First thing might be to discuss your thinking with a GP who can refer you either to an ENT (to rule out obstructions like enlarged tonsils, adenoids, polyps, etc) or directly to a respiratory/sleep specialist.
I'm not sure how it works for pediatrics, but in the SA for adults the waiting list was around 9 months (for an overnight sleep study) but only a few weeks privately. The consult with the specialist costs over $100 but you get most of it back through medicare. The actual sleep study is done as an inpatient, so if you have private helath insurance it will be covered like any other hospital stay.
Thank Marydean. I will make an appointment for Tuesday. Just wanted a bit of an idea of what to expect really. Its the unknowns that trigger my anxiety usually.
If you tend to feel anxious, it's better to get an appointment and get the specific info, that's the quickest route to alleviating that fear of the unknown. It might turn out to be something simple, just needs a different approach from a different kind of doctor. FWIW I've had several sleep studies done now, it's kind of like a cross between staying in a hospital and staying in a hotel, except with lots of sticky tape LOL. For kids, the parent can stay with them. My problem didn't turn out to be apnea, but reading about it beforehand there are a number of different treatment options, sometimes (for kids especially) it can even be as simple as getting allergies treated properly, makes all the swelling go down, then they're sleeping better and functioning better as well.
Anyway, let us know how you get on, I'm sure it might be of interest to other BB families too.
Im not concerned about the sleep study really other than the logistics of it. Getting there who will stay, what we will do with DD. Would she be allowed to stay given her age (13m atm)?
More the prospect of tonsilectomy/adenoidectomy.
Public waiting list all depends on your area. Dd waited 18 months (tonsils, adenoids, grommits). And ended up being done at a second hospital under our health service area. Wasn't supposed to be on both wait lists, but they let it go because she'd been waiting so long.
Another friend, in a different area is having her dd's grommits done in the next few weeks after only waiting about 6 months.
My sister is taking her dd to a sleep school this month in Sydney (from coffs harbour, so maybe not available elsewhere?). I think they've been waiting since she was a few months old to get in. She turns 1 tomorrow.
Gp believes is anxiety and possible depession. I'm not convinced. I think there's more issues than this but whatever. He had referred us to a psych. Hopefully she will pick up anything else. I'm so over fighting.
Obstructive sleep apnoea
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If you tend to feel anxious, it's better to get an appointment and get the specific info, that's the quickest route to alleviating that fear of the unknown. It might turn out to be something simple, just needs a different approach from a different kind of doctor. FWIW I've had several sleep studies done now, it's kind of like a cross between staying in a hospital and staying in a hotel, except with lots of sticky tape LOL. For kids, the parent can stay with them. My problem didn't turn out to be apnea, but reading about it beforehand there are a number of different treatment options, sometimes (for kids especially) it can even be as simple as getting allergies treated properly, makes all the swelling go down, then they're sleeping better and functioning better as well. 
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