St. Vincent Mercy Children’s Hospital was first opened in 1998 in Toledo, OH. On a daily basis the hospital is helping take care and saving the lives of children in the northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan regions. St. Vincent Mercy Children’s Hospital prides itself on being the only pediatric facility to offer teaching, research, and patient care all in one facility to make it easier for their patients. This hospital is very family oriented and wants to try and get the parents and family as involved as possible in the healing process for their young children.
St. Vincent Mercy Children’s Hospital is based from their five core values: compassion, excellence, human dignity, justice, and sacredness of life, and service. The commitment from this hospital is to be as helpful and respectful to their patients and give them the best quality and service that they deserve. St Vincent Mercy Children’s Hospital are partners with Children’s Oncolgoy Group Affiliation, Children’s Miracle Network, and National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions.
St. Vincent Mercy Children’s Sleep Disorders Program changes the lives of young patient and his family
Ann and Carl Schmidt, MD, say their now-4-year-old son, Lawrence, is enjoying a dramatically higher quality of life thanks to the efforts of the St. Vincent Mercy Children’s Sleep Disorders Program. When Larry was about nine months old, his parents noticed his sleep patterns were changing, and his breathing seemed labored at night. “He has very narrow nasal passages and airway, which is common in a child who has Down syndrome,” Ann said. “When he would develop a cold or an upper respiratory infection, it was very frightening because it was evident he was having difficulty breathing, especially at night.
His ENT recommended a sleep study, which we did (at a non-Mercy facility), and it showed his blood oxygen was desatting down to 50 percent at times. “He was on breathing treatments and apnea monitoring. It was so hard, because when you have a child with special needs, you want to provide all the necessary interventions and do everything possible to help them reach their full potential. I wanted to work with him during the day, but he wasn’t getting enough sleep, and it was affecting his cognitive abilities.”
When Larry was 18 months old, he was hospitalized in the ICU (at a non- Mercy facility) with a bad respiratory infection. A tracheostomy was recommended, however his condition improved. Back at home, nights continued to be difficult for both Larry and his mom. “I spent many nights holding him in a position which would make it more comfortable for him to breathe,” Ann said. “We spoke with Dr. Lois Nelson (Pediatric Allergy and Immunology), and she really listened to us and studied every aspect of Larry’s problem. Dr. Nelson ordered an x-ray of his tonsils and adenoids and recommended Dr. Reddy (Ramalinga Reddy, MD, Pediatric Pulmonologist). He read the x-rays and saw that Larry’s tonsils were huge. He suggested a sleep study.”
While their first sleep-study experience elsewhere was a negative experience, the Schmidts said things went much better with the St. V’s Sleep Center. The results obtained from this second study helped the Schmidt’s and Larry’s doctors understand what was happening to the little boy at night. Dr. Reddy consulted with Larry’s ENT, and they both agreed that the tonsils and adenoids had to be removed, although there were some concerns that Larry’s age and disability might interfere with his ability to communicate distress and discomfort after the operation. Dr. Reddy told Larry’s ENT that if the ENT would remove Larry’s tonsils and adenoids, Dr. Reddy would take responsibility for all of Larry’ postsurgical care, including his stay in the ICU.
Larry had the surgery, and Dr. Reddy made good on his promise, to provide his post-surgical care, including overseeing his stay in the ICU. With the obstruction caused by his tonsils and adenoids corrected, Larry began to breathe – and sleep – much easier.
“Before the surgery, it was dramatic to see our son hyperextend his neck at night in an attempt to breathe,” Carl said. “That vanished after he had his tonsils and adenoids removed.” Ann said Larry has done incredibly well since his surgery. “He immediately began sleeping better,” she said. “Today, at 4 years old, he sleeps 10 to 12 uninterrupted hours a night. He is a different child – he is not tired anymore, and his cognitive development has improved tremendously. He has also barely been sick, and whereas our lives were once a never-ending series of medical appointments, doctor visits are now rare. He is really thriving – all thanks to St. V’s sleep clinic.