Colorado boy is the first U.S. pediatric patient to get new sleep apnea device

The device, referred to by Norman Friedman [professor of otolaryngology and pediatrics] at Children’s Hospital Colorado as a “pacemaker for the tongue,” senses breathing and delivers a small electrical stimulus that moves the tongue forward to keep the airway open during sleep. Friedman, surgical sleep program director at the hospital, said the implant eliminates the need for external chest leads and can be adjusted in clinic to find optimal settings for each patient.