Worcester study: Physicians understand less about narcolepsy than they think
Photo | Grant Welker
Downtown Worcester
A Sept. 22 study released by Worcester-based nonprofit Wake Up Narcolepsy has found physicians in and around Boston may know less about diagnosing narcolepsy than they think they do.
The study, which was small, surveyed 100 physicians who treat narcolepsy in children and adolescents in the Greater Boston Area. Less than 5% of respondents were able to identify all five major narcolepsy symptoms, according to Wake Up Narcolepsy.
Additionally, some 86% reported it can take anywhere from two to 10 years to diagnose the sleep disorder. The respondents reported 64% of all children and adolescents with narcolepsy have been misdiagnosed with other disorders like insomnia, anxiety/depression, and epilepsy/seizures.
“Early diagnosis of narcolepsy is critical to ensuring a successful treatment plan and promoting safety,” Dr. Kiran Maski, a physician in the department of neurology at Boston Children’s Hospital and an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, said in a statement. “However, due to lack of awareness about narcolepsy among healthcare providers and difficulties teasing out narcolepsy symptoms from other conditions or co-morbidities, narcolepsy diagnosis is often delayed, especially among children and adolescents.”
Maski said she believes the survey will help improve education and reduce the diagnosis time for young people experiencing narcolepsy.
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