LEXINGTON, Ky. — There are additional resources in Kentucky for experts to study children’s sleeping patterns.

Four new rooms and four beds are now open at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital’s new pediatric sleep center.

“With our thinking and what we wanted to do with the Tempur Sealy Foundation. It’s children. It’s in our home state. It’s something that we were very passionate about,” said Scott Thompson, CEO and chairman of the Tempur Sealy Foundation, who partnered with UK HealthCare for the project.

The facility can now accept children under the age of 18 months who are experiencing a sleep disorder or health condition requiring a sleep study. Doctors with the hospital say 25% of kids are dealing with a sleep disorder.

The facility features an inclusive family-inspired area. Rooms have individual bathrooms, special lights, recliners, a kid-friendly theme, and four brand-new beds. 

“From the waiting area, we try to put some sort of like prop, from something to make them more interesting,” said Dr. Zoran Danov, the director of the sleep center. 

The leaders want to prevent increased neurological conditions and physical health challenges for kids.

“The same issue that are present in adults are present in children, starting from obstructive sleep apnea, from issues with difficulty sleeping, issues with circadian sleep rhythm and issues with different parasomnias, which are like sleepwalking,” Danov said.

He says this is a new opportunity to manage infants and little ones in a comfortable setting while being close to emergency response teams. 

“If something happens during the night, you need some intervention. We have specialists. The ICU is here. PICU is here,” Danov explained.

Prior to the new sleep center, the hospital used beds at Good Samaritan Hospital and other area hospitals for their work.