I need to 'prepare' my son for what he is going to experience....He's had a night sleep study done before, and remembers it...but I'm wondering about exactly what goes on during the day...The lab does not have a tv, radio, dvd player, anything so I need to bring something to keep him stimulated between naps.   Just how many 'naps' are there and how much time in between?  (the lady scheduling the appts said she doesn't know those details, she only schedules appts).

is the person allowed to get out of bed between naps?  they re-wire each time?!

thanks

Hi, I just had one 2 wks ago and can tell you about it but I'm leaving for a few hrs. so I'll let you know when I get back.  I can tell you it was 5 naps total, 20min each.  It started at 7am and ended around 3:30p.
I'll fill you in with more info later. :)

I had one MSLT and that was some 12 years or so ago. I was brought in the night before for a regular sleep evaluation. In the morning they insisted I be awake, up and about by 8 AM. You keep all the usual wires, etc. from the sleep evaluation on. You can be up and about, my room had a TV and a VCR. I'm not a fan so I brought a good book and some crossword puzzles. Every 2 hours I had to go back to bed for 20 minutes. Made no difference if I fell asleep or not, I would lay there for 20 minutes, and then I had to get up whether I had fallen asleep or not. This was done at a local hospital's sleep lab so I was allowed to order breakfast like any in-hospital patient, and lunch as well. I was allowed to go out to "the butt hut" for a cigarette but not off the hospital grounds and I HAD to be back in the lab for that every two hour nap. The RPSGT even let me peek over her shoulder as she ran thru some of the previous night's data and scored it. Back then they used Alice software. She explained what some of the graphs were indicating. That was quite fascinating!


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

Ok, mine was 2 wks ago at a Sleep Center.  It followed my night study so I was already hooked up/wired.  They woke me up at 5:15am and had me sit up in a chair until 7am, then it was off to bed again for 20min like Chronie said "whether you sleep or not.  Then up to the chair again for another 2 hrs.  This happened at 7a,9a,11a,1p & 3pm.  I could only have water that morning and they brought me cheese/crackers/fruit/granola bar after my 7am nap.  They keep you wired up so I was told not to leave the building.  I wouldn't have gone anywhere anyway looking like that! lol!  

For lunch they brought me a Subway sandwich and Sprite.  No caffeine allowed.  

I don't know how old your ds is but I'd suggest books and puzzle games too.  Maybe borrow/rent a portable DVD player if you don't have one and rent a few movies.  I brought my laptop and caught up on emails since the bldg. was WIFI.  
If there are certain snacks he likes, bring those as long as they are "healthy" and don't contain caffeine or lots of sugar.  

They keep the wires on but there were less wires/straps than the night study had so you can move around the room more easily and it's not as annoying!  
Hope that helps!

thanks you guys!  this is going to be interesting because he is unable to stand, so that means getting him in & out of his wheelchair  something like 10 times! (I will certainly be getting my exercise)...and trying to keep those wires on (not going to happen).  I think they are going to have to re-wire each time....during his last sleep study they had to re-attach a couple every hour or so....I hope this works out!....especially since this is the last sleep study insurance will cover for the next 5 yrs.

  They said there is a tv down the hall, but maybe I should look inot renting a portable dvd player....hm...would that be from Blockbuster? or where?  any idea how much that costs?  Maybe they will let him just sit up in the bed for part of the time, and he can watch a video then?  hm...

anyway...thanks for your input!  I will have to do some brain storming.....it would be good to be able to take him for a walk around the building...I guess we'll have to come prepared for anything and then play it by ear.

It seems to me that the staff should provide some assistance getting him in and out of his wheelchair. And as long as he is kept busy and occupied maybe he won't have to get out of bed during the two hours between all the mandatory "naps".


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.