SLEEP SOCIETY OF IRELAND MEETING 

The first annual meeting of the Sleep Society of Ireland was held in Dublin on 26^th February, 2005.  This cross disciplinary meeting of healthcare professionals was attended by over 100 physicians, technicians, nurse specialists, dentists, general practitioners and otolaryngologists from both sides of the border.

The Speakers included Dr. Catherine Crowe from the Mater Private Hospital Sleep Laboratory.  She discussed how she evaluated excessive sleepiness and described how modern lifestyle may effect many aspects of sleep. The talk gave an insight into the normal process of sleep, and why we need to sleep and she described how too much as well as too little sleep may be harmful.  Dr. Dr. John O'Brien, Dental Surgeon, an orthodontic expert from Cork described the problems of teeth grinding at night and again emphasised the effect of the changing nature of Irish Society. For example, it is increasingly being recognised that the drug ecstasy promotes teeth grinding.  Dr. Richard Costello, Beaumont Hospital, discussed the hazards of sleep for the patient with neuromuscular disease.  He reported the tests that they use at Beaumont Hospital and the beneficial effects of ventilation for these patients.  Dr. David Vaughan, a paediatrician from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital discussed the phenomenon of sleep apnoea in children.  He pointed out how in children with rhinitis and in particular tonsillar enlargement sleep apnoea my occur. The clinical features that children present with instead of fatigue are somewhat different to adults, bad behaviour, poor school performance are two common features. Tonsillectomy and adenoid removal may help.