For Our Children

For Our Children
By Dr. Jerry Hu

As responsible parents, there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for the health of our children. Sometimes, when it comes to finding the best treatment plan in airway and sleep for kids, it can be difficult, challenging, and even confusing to navigate the field of pediatric sleep medicine. For example, orthodontists for years did serial extractions and distalization claiming that process has no effect on airway and sleep breathing. Moreover, to this day, there are still pediatricians who believe children will just “grow out” of their breathing problems, and recommend simply monitoring conditions as best option. Depending on what specialty of field, there are doctors who also advocate for invasive surgery as best course of action. Sadly, due to the entire healthcare industry and landscape becoming more and more corporate controlled, the “quick, easy, and volume- quota” model will only expand in the future.

That being said, there are also hero's who carry the torch of non- invasive treatment options and try to educate the masses on predictable and effective choices for pediatric airway treatment. The ASBA, with the background and history of Rickett’s genius inventions and treatment modalities, (plus the skills and talent of Gergen’s Orthodontic lab, which pioneered the fabrication process of the best made airway and epigenetic appliances) is the leading dental sleep academy in the world. Currently, countries such as India, Chile, and Australia have government officials and/or doctors working with the Academy to expand education internationally. Additionally, the Federal government, Department of Veteran Affairs, and Active Duty TriCare all regard the Academy as the recognized accreditation body for dental sleep medicine. Therefore, I am so very honored to teach among the best, such as Dr. Francisco Eraso, Timothy Adams and Felix Liao.
In this positive reflection, I want to share the airway treatment journey of one of my own kids, my youngest, Warren. As a premature baby, he had an uphill battle from the get go. With severe retrognathia, mouth breathing, midface and skeletal deficiencies, cranial strain/distortion, and torsion issues, he needed much care and a complex plan of treatment. Not every night, but almost all from 3-6 years old, I witnessed him gasping, choking, and suffocating in bed. He had rampant allergies, allergic shiners and extensive daytime sleepiness. Wanting him to keep up in school, be able to join sports and improve his memory, I worked on his nutrition, took him to the Amen clinic, and tried everything I could find, including trying those rubber starter appliances with myofunctional therapy. The Amen clinic identified with his brain scans that he has a diamond shaped presentation around his basal ganglia, and they recommended certain type of memory exercises and reflex activities- like jump rope, ping pong and paddle ball. Also, they recommended serotonin, GABA, and other homeopathic supplements. All that did help improve his quality of life, but it didn’t really “fix” the main problems and breathing - airway problems, which stemmed from his own phenotype, anatomy, and physiology.

As my own knowledge and experience was growing hand in hand with his growth and development, I tried so many modalities of treatment. It wasn’t until I worked with Gergen’s Orthodontic Lab and looking into Rickett’s creations that something really started to work. It changed the trajectory of his growth. David Gergen also designed, fabricated and customized Warren’s Bionator, doing all the appropriate rolling, bending and adjustments of the wires and looking at proper fit and comfort to make sure he is compliant and progressing biomimetically. Only three months into treatment using Gergen’s appliance with Rickett’s principles, Warren finally started to have restful sleep. Those gasping issues, sleep fragmentation issues and daytime sleepiness problems all disappeared! His grades in school also had gone up, as well as standardized tests. He developed a deep interest in soccer, and as a proud dad, I write that most recently, he won the Alaska Airlines state championship with his team and he played the entire game. His coach said that he couldn’t even recognize Warren on the field. He gave him the “most improved player ” of the year award. I couldn’t be more proud. Mainly, I am so thankful, I was able to make this life trajectory change in my own son, using non-invasive, biomimetic treatment from Gergen’s Ortho Lab.
(See before and after photos below)

It is important for those reading this article to do proper due diligence in working with people and companies in dental sleep medicine. Some charge exorbitant fees and make false promises or overpromise. Some are pushy and great at sales pitch, and some just want volume and speed. We owe it to our kids, the future and generations to come to provide healthcare with sound ethics and accountability. Often times when it comes to airway expansion and growth treatment in kids, the long term failures come due to greed, fame recognition, and perpetuation of false claims.

I know that ASBA will educate responsibly and be a shiny light and example as a dedicated anatomy to improve sleep medicine worldwide. Working with Gergen’s Lab and Ricketts appliances , the world is set for all of us to move the needle forward.

Dr. Jerry Hu