Private Sleep Clinic for Children in Birmingham

Sleep is an essential part of a child’s physical health, development, learning and emotional wellbeing. But when a child struggles to fall asleep, wakes repeatedly through the night, snores heavily or simply never seems well rested, it can have an impact on the whole family.

Our team of child sleep specialists includes paediatric ENT specialists, respiratory consultants and therapists who are available without a GP referral to help you understand whether your child’s sleep is normal, what you can do to help, or if there may be an underlying cause.

Do I Need an Appointment?

Occasional disrupted nights are a normal part of childhood. However, you may wish to seek specialist advice when sleep difficulties are persistent, affecting your child's daytime wellbeing or causing significant disruption to family life.

Parents commonly come to our Paediatric Sleep Clinic because their child:

• Has difficulty settling or falling asleep, such as taking a long time or only falling asleep with a parent present
• Wakes frequently during the night or very early in the morning
• Has an irregular or disrupted sleep pattern
• Snores loudly or breathes noisily during sleep, or breathes predominantly through their mouth at night
• Appears to stop breathing, gasp or choke during sleep
• Sleepwalks or experiences night terrors or frequent nightmares
• Experiences unusual movements or behaviours during sleep, such as restlessness or excessive movement
• Is extremely tired, irritable, emotional or sleepy during the daytime
• Has sleep difficulties associated with ADHD, autism or other developmental needs
• Has anxiety or behavioural difficulties surrounding bedtime
• Has a long-term medical or respiratory condition that may be affecting sleep.

Sometimes parents simply know that something about their child’s sleep does not seem right. You do not need to know what the underlying problem is before seeking help. Our team is here to explore and seek a solution.

Sleep Conditions We Assess

Sleep problems in children can have many different causes. Our specialists can assess children with a wide range of sleep-related concerns, which may be related to behaviour, breathing difficulties, mental health or something else.

What to Expect from an Appointment

To diagnose the root cause of your child's sleep problems, we take a holistic approach.

A Detailed Consultation

You can explain your child's sleep history, symptoms, medical history, and daily routines. We may conduct a physical exam and ask diagnostic questions.

Depending on their age and symptoms, we may explore:

• Their usual bedtime and waking routine
• How long it takes them to fall asleep
• Night waking and early waking
• Snoring and breathing patterns
• Restlessness and movements during sleep
• Daytime tiredness and sleepiness
• Behaviour, concentration and school performance
• Diet, exercise and lifestyle
• Medical history and medication
• Developmental and neurodevelopmental needs
• Anxiety and emotional wellbeing
• Family routines and the child's sleep environment.

From this assessment, we can recommend the most appropriate next steps.

Paediatric Sleep Investigations

This may include questionnaires, sleep diaries, and physical examinations to gather additional information.

About Our Home Sleep Study

Not every child needs a sleep study. However, when further investigation would be helpful, our team can arrange a home sleep study delivered by our partners. 

Depending on your child's symptoms, this painless test may include monitoring aspects of their breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, movement and sleep patterns overnight, helping us diagnose obstructive sleep apnoea where present.

Home sleep monitoring allows us to collect important information about your child's sleep while they sleep in their own bed and familiar surroundings.

• We use clinical-grade equipment and qualified sleep professionals analyse the results.
• After assessing results, we offer a personalised sleep treatment plan, which may include ongoing support.

Our clinical team will advise whether a home sleep study is appropriate and which type of monitoring would provide the most useful information.

Respiratory sleep assessment

Some sleep problems have an underlying respiratory cause.

Children who experience persistent snoring, noisy breathing, mouth breathing, gasping or pauses in breathing during sleep may require assessment for sleep-disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnoea.

Our team includes paediatric respiratory expertise, enabling us to assess children where there may be an interaction between their breathing and sleep and arrange appropriate investigations or onward treatment where required.

Sleep Support and CBT

For many children, identifying a medical condition is only one part of improving sleep.

Our sleep team includes cognitive behavioural therapists, who can help families understand the factors influencing their child's sleep and develop practical, realistic strategies that work for their individual circumstances.

Advice and support for parents and carers includes behavioural approaches to sleep, such as:

• Establishing healthy and sustainable sleep routines
• Bedtime and settling strategies
• Managing night waking
• Sleep hygiene advice
• Support for anxiety around bedtime
• Strategies adapted for children with additional or neurodevelopmental needs

Our aim is not simply to tell families that their child needs "better sleep habits". We want to understand why sleep is difficult and provide practical support that families can realistically implement at home.

Meet Our Child Sleep Specialists

Sleep can be impacted by many areas of a child’s health. With a multidisciplinary approach to child sleep, we aim to join up different areas of medicine to understand the root cause of your child’s sleep troubles and offer a treatment plan that sets your child up for a good night’s sleep.

Which sleep appointment is right for my child?

Comprehensive Paediatric Sleep Consultation

With Dr Chetana Kallappa, Consultant Paediatrician & Paediatric Sleep Specialist

For children experiencing ongoing or complex sleep difficulties where a detailed assessment of their overall sleep pattern is needed.

Dr Kallappa is a paediatric sleep specialist with 26 years of NHS experience and additional expertise in paediatric neurology and epilepsy. Her consultations involve a detailed assessment of your child's sleep concerns, medical history, routines and wider health to help identify factors that may be contributing to their difficulties.

This may be suitable for children experiencing:

• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Frequent night waking
• Nightmares or night terrors
• Sleep difficulties associated with ADHD or autism
• Other persistent or complex sleep concerns

Book Dr Kallappa's Paediatric Sleep Consultation

Paediatric Respiratory & Sleep Consultation

With Dr Prasad Nagakumar, Respiratory Paediatric Consultant

For children whose sleep concerns may be related to breathing or respiratory problems, such as snoring, suspected obstructive sleep apnoea or other sleep-related breathing difficulties.

Dr Nagakumar is a paediatric respiratory specialist with expertise in childhood respiratory conditions and sleep-related breathing problems.

Book Dr Nagakumar's Respiratory & Sleep Consultation

Paediatric ENT & Sleep Consultation

With Mr Amit Parmar, Consultant ENT & Head and Neck Surgeon

For children whose sleep difficulties may be linked to an upper airway or ENT problem, particularly persistent snoring, mouth breathing or suspected obstructive sleep apnoea.

Mr Parmar specialises in paediatric airway conditions and can assess whether enlarged tonsils, adenoids or other airway problems may be contributing to disrupted sleep and advise on appropriate treatment.

Book Mr Parmar’s Paediatric ENT & Sleep Consultation

Children’s CBT Consultation

With Raj Bassi

Where sleep difficulties centre around bedtime behaviours, anxiety, or child mental health, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you and your child understand and change the thought patterns that are leading to disrupted sleep. 

Raj Bassi is a sleep specialist and CBT therapist supporting children experiencing primary insomnia. 

Book Raj Bassi’s CBT Consultation

Our Prices

Care at Midland Health

We understand how concerning childhood sleep problems can be. Our team is dedicated to helping your child get the restful sleep they need to thrive.

Let us help your child get the restful sleep they deserve. Benefit from:

• Fast and Efficient Care: Benefit from same-day and next-day appointments, as available. Get a diagnosis and treatment plan quickly, so your child can start sleeping better sooner.
• Personalised Sleep Solutions: We don't believe in one-size-fits-all treatments. Our sleep specialists will create a personalised plan specifically tailored to address your child's unique sleep challenges.
• Seamless Care: As part of Midland Health, we can collaborate closely with your GP to ensure a unified approach to your child's overall health and well-being.
• Stress-Free Environment: We understand that sleep studies can be stressful for children. Our Birmingham clinic offers a comfortable and welcoming environment to make the experience as relaxing as possible.
• Investing in Your Child's Future: Healthy sleep is crucial for a child's physical and mental development. We believe in providing support to help your child develop healthy sleep habits.

Reviews

Our Sleep Clinic for Children in Birmingham

Your appointment will take place at our Francis Road Clinic in Edgbaston, Birmingham, just a short distance from Birmingham City Centre.

We are close to Five Ways train station, accessible by bus, tram, or train. If you're driving, patients can use the Broadway Plaza car park free of charge for up to 2 hours when their vehicle registration is validated at Midland Health reception.

No matter where you're coming from, we aim to make your journey to our clinic as smooth and convenient as possible so you can focus on getting the care you need.

FAQ