For a child, effective treatment for a sleep disorder can be life changing.

“Poor sleep can lead to poor concentration, irritability, learning difficulties and even threats to physical health such as growth, dental and heart problems,” says Dr Dimitrios Papadopoulos, or Dr Jim as he’s popularly known.

A leading Paediatric Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Physician, Dr Jim is widely recognised for his pioneering work with sleep and children, particularly those with a developmental delay or disability. In addition to being a qualified general paediatrician, he has completed additional specialist sleep training to become the first prospectively accredited level 2 sleep paediatrician in Australasia – the highest possible qualification in the field.

Dr Jim’s work has literally changed lives by frequently uncovering a whole host of issues that may mimic – or are mistaken for – sleep apnoea.

For example, while he will recommend removing the tonsils or adenoids if they are the root cause, Dr Jim takes care to rule out all other possible causes before suggesting surgery. “If you do sleep studies on 10 kids who snore and have sleep problems, three will have obstructive sleep apnoea – but seven of them won’t,” he says. “Things like gastro-oesophageal reflux and allergies can mimic sleep apnoea very closely but require a totally different approach to treatment. This is why I’ve always favoured a multidisciplinary approach.”

The only sleep lab of its kind

Dr Jim’s dedication to his cause is reflected in the business he has built up over time. In 2003, he established a complete suite of paediatric sleep laboratory services at St George Private Hospital in the Sydney suburb of Kogarah. The first facility of its kind to achieve NATA accreditation in a New South Wales private hospital, it is still the only private laboratory in Sydney to provide NATA accredited diagnostic and CPAP sleep study services to children and infants – the frontline of diagnosis and comprehensive treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea.

“When I decided it was time to open the laboratory, we had four kids and a mortgage, so this was a big decision, and a big investment,” Dr Jim says. It helped that the mortgage he took out with NAB was very flexible. “We were able to redraw the equity we had built up in our home. NAB also arranged a separate loan to pay for the specialist equipment we needed.”

Over the next five years, Dr Jim went on to establish the adolescent sleep unit at St George Hospital and the first paediatric sleep clinic within the Department of Orthodontics at Sydney Dental Hospital. He also started Australia’s first multidisciplinary sleep clinic for children with a developmental delay or disability.

That represented a significant breakthrough. As Dr Jim points out, “These children are twice as likely to have some kind of sleep disorder. They may also need to be treated in a particularly sensitive way.”

A home away from home

In 2023, Dr Jim opened a second sleep laboratory in Sydney’s historic Millers Point.

“Surroundings are very important, particularly when you’re feeling anxious or stressed, so that’s why we chose this location for our new main office,” he says. “It’s a State Heritage Listed house in a very beautiful spot on the harbour, right next to the Observatory and round the corner from Barangaroo. If the kids are early or I’m running a little bit late, they can go to the local park, see the Harbour Bridge and play until we call them.”

Dr Jim’s wife Penny, the laboratory’s office manager, designed the interior to be warm, welcoming and fun.

“Many of these kids are scared of hospitals and doctors,” says Dr Jim. “Here they can have their sleep studies in a laboratory that feels like home.”

Finding strength through support

The new laboratory came with its own challenges though. When Dr Jim bought the property, it was zoned residential. The conversion to a commercial, hospital-grade building had to meet the requirements of both New South Wales Health and the Heritage Council.

However, NAB and Medfin worked closely together with Dr Jim to make the project possible, provided funding that could flex with the times. “They structured [the] finance to suit my purpose. And, when COVID struck in the middle of the renovation, they helped us to survive the challenges of two lockdowns and a steep rise in the cost of building materials,” Dr Jim says.

“We had signed a fixed contract with our builder but, if we’d had to stick to the original funding, he would have gone out of business.”

Changing lives through education

Dr Jim cares about the wellbeing of those around him – beyond his own patients.

As a conjoint lecturer at UNSW and the University of Sydney, he regularly shares his expertise with the next generation of paediatricians and sleep physicians and is a sought-after speaker at conferences. He is also passionate about raising awareness about children’s sleep health within the wider community, giving frequent talks and media interviews to help parents understand sleep disorders and when and how to seek help.

As he says, “There are many, many studies showing the positive impact of treating a sleep disorder effectively. From behaviour to concentration and the ability to learn, healthy sleep gives children the best chance of reaching their full potential.”

“We’re proud at NAB to have supported Dr Jim and his pioneering work for more than 30 years. It’s been especially rewarding to see his vision come to life through the establishment of his sleep studies hospital – a true milestone in his career.” John Avent, Executive NAB Health.