A-14 Arctic Warrior April 8, 2011
Be bear aware and safe with trash this spring, Page B-4 Spice and salvia are incompatible with military service, page B-9 Volume 2, No. 14 Hospital sleep lab helping troops get shuteye By Airman 1st Class Jack Sanders JBER PAO www.jber.af.mil/news April 8, 2011 Sleeping through the night can be a difficult task for anyone, but for individuals with sleep disorders, it can be almost impossible. Sleep disorders come in many forms; the most common, according to www.sleepfoundation.org, are restless legs syndrome, insomnia, sleep apnea, sleepwalking, snoring, teeth grinding and difficulty breathing. Those suffering from severe sleeprelated issues can schedule an appointment at the sleep lab at the 3d Medical Group at the <strong>Joint</strong> <strong>Base</strong> <strong>Elmendorf</strong>-<strong>Richardson</strong> hospital. Sleep labs are common across the U.S., however, this is the only Air-Force-run sleep lab in the Pacific Air Forces, said Air Force Staff Sgt. Stanley Manning, 3d MDG sleep lab technician. The lab’s technicians monitor patients in their sleep. Technicians closely watch brain-wave activity, along with several other bodily functions, like heart rate and breathing. After the study is concluded, all of the technicians’ information goes to a neurologist who will determine if the patient has a sleep disorder. For some patients, multiple trips to the sleep lab are common. People with sleep disorders can have multiple problems while awake as well. Not being alert or falling asleep during daytime hours can be a large problem for military members. Some sleep conditions, like sleep apnea, can even be fatal if left untreated, said Tech. Sgt. Cynthia Palmer, 3d MDG sleep lab technician. Patients wishing to be seen by the sleep lab must first pass through a small screening process, she said. “When the clinic first opened, we were getting people left and right until they learned how to skim them out,” Palmer said. “They said, ‘We’re going to look for daytime sleepiness, very bad snoring and witnessed episodes of non-breathing.’ We had a lot of patients (before that) that had nothing wrong with them.” Going to the sleep lab for treatment differs from most trips to the hospital. “Most people are anxious because they’re sleeping in a different environment,” Manning said. “When they see all the wires they’re going to have to wear, they get all freaked out, but once you sit them in the bed they pretty much relax. There’s really nothing to be anxious about. It’s a pretty easy test to pass – all you have to do is sleep.” The technicians watch brain waves for patterns typical with sleep and breathing patterns with a sleep mask as well as sensors that respond to chest and stomach rise and fall during their monitoring period. The lab techs can even tell which stage of sleep the patients are in depending on the brain’s alpha waves. Sleep lab technicians spend time with each patient explaining the process of the procedures and why they’re doing them. “We try to make (patients) as comfortable as they can be. (Sometimes) we have to ask them to come back again and bring some kind of sleep aid, or ask a doctor to give them something to help them relax or give them a sleep aid,” Palmer said. Patients visiting the lab are walked through the process before their test periods to take away some anxieties, as well as answer any questions they may have. “We need to see everybody go through all the stages of sleep, and the stage that we’re most concerned with is while they’re laying on their back going through a REM cycle. That’s there dreaming stage,” Manning said. “That’s when your body is totally relaxed, so if you’re going to have problems it’s going to happen then. We ask that you sleep on your back, and I know it’s the most uncomfortable position for most people, but when you’re on your back and you’re relaxed that’s when all your breathing problems are more prone to happen.” Air Force Staff Sgt. Stanley Manning, 3rd Medical Group Sleep Lab technician, prepares Jason Manzel, 725th Brigade Support Battalion, for a sleep test at the JBER Hospital sleep lab. The preparation included marking for and placing electrodes, and checking the input on a monitor before Manzel went to sleep. (Photos by Airman 1st Class Jack Sanders/JBER PAO) Military youth not immune to autism Commentary by Air Force Maj. Nicholas J. Sabula Defense Media Activity ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The second of April has special significance for my family – one year ago I was transitioning out of Afghanistan and returning home to a family I had not seen in seven months. What kept me going through the deployment was not just the important mission, the camaraderie, or the fact that I was looking forward to some down time upon my return. It was that I could get home and see my heroes. These heroes are my family. One of our sons, who happens to have autism spectrum disorder, is my inspiration. My wife is a true unsung heroine, like other military families raising a child with autism, fighting a daily battle on the homefront for our children. I view World Autism Awareness Day as an opportunity to recognize the tremendous sacrifices of these “Autism Warriors.” Autism is a neurobiological developmental disability that impacts normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills and cognitive function. The word “autism”comes from the Greek word autos, meaning “self” and children with the disorder are often described as being in their own little world, typically having difficulty with social communication such as eye contact, interaction or conversation. Children with autism may give the appearance of a dazed, cold, unfeeling or even unintelligent individual to people who don’t understand the disability. The truth is that under this dark cloud is actually a smart, smiling, beautiful child just wanting to break out. Others may show no distinguishable characteristics other than quirkiness, inability to focus, appearing shy, or even the other extreme of sensory seeking, hyperactive, and surprisingly overly social. Autism affects military families, your coworkers, people you supervise, or even someone you work for. Like the military represents a cross-section of America, so do families with autism; it does not discriminate. It seems somewhat ironic that as an Air Force public affairs officer communicating stories for the Department of Defense, I have a son who has challenges communicating in general. I see his frustration, but his diagnosis has emboldened me to better support all military families who share our story. Looking for signs I had no clue what autism was when our son was diagnosed in 2006. It was my wife who pushed us to seek professional help. Being our first child, I just figured it was a stage, but the adage that he or she is “just a slow learner” can be a signal something is wrong. Our son was developing normally until about 16 months. Things changed as he gradually regressed from saying about 20 words to just babbling, spontaneous screaming, looking off into space and not reacting when spoken to. We thought it was because of the birth of our second son at this time, but soon realized there was something serious going on. One tell-tale sign of concern is what autism families know as stimming, or self stimulation in a continuous, purposeless movement. Flapping hands or twisting a spoon or pen; rocking; lining up objects; echolalia, or repeating exactly what is asked instead of an answer; or staring repetitively at an object are pretty easy to spot. Not making eye contact, talking, or interacting with other children are also areas for concern. If you suspect something is wrong, make an appointment to talk with your pediatrician about an assessment. Research shows that taking the initial step of getting your child diagnosed early has a dramatic impact on results; the sooner intervention begins, the better. If your child is diagnosed with autism, your next step is contacting the Exceptional Family Member Program office for enrollment. EFMP maintains accountability of military families with special needs and can have a tremendous impact on future assignments to locations with support. I have had orders made and canceled based on the gaining location’s ability to support him. Getting to know your EFMP coordinator can go a long way in possible avenues for care at your location and make it known to them that you have questions and concerns. They can also provide feedback on the enrollment, required to sign your child up for TRICARE’s Extended Care Health Option that will help cover a type of therapy called applied behavioral analysis. What now It really comes down to the basics of knowing your child, getting educated, seeking answers and establishing a treatment plan. Autism is not a cookie-cutter diagnosis. The challenge for parents is every case is different and requires different treatment plans; the road ahead is tough and you need to think long-term. To say it can be overwhelming is an understatement. Autism, like many other special needs conditions, creates additional see Autism, page B-6
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