At a young age, I recognized how a caring physician could transform the life of a sick child. During my training, I developed a strong interest in pulmonology and sleep physiology, which drew me to these two specialty areas.
As a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist, I believe that healthy sleep is essential to overall wellness and that caring for a sick child means caring for their whole family. To provide holistic care, it’s essential not only to treat the child's illness but to care for the child's support system as well.
Lung disease during childhood impacts lung growth and long-term lung function. As a pediatric pulmonologist, my role is to treat lung disease during childhood and prevent decline in lung function during adulthood.
In my practice, I focus on the following:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) have funded my research for the last 15 years, and I have multiple awards from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Through my work, I want to understand the mechanisms of breathing disorders during sleep and the maturation of ventilatory control during childhood.
I speak English, Arabic, French and Italian. In my free time, I enjoy reading French literature and listening to classical music. I also have a passion for photography, especially nature photos.
MD: Aim Shams University, Cairo Egypt, 1978.
Residency: Pediatrics; Michigan State University, Flint, MI.
Certification: Pediatrics 1990; Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine 1994; Sleep Medicine, 1995.
Chronic respiratory failure; sleep disorders in children
Pulmonary Medicine, Rare Lung Diseases, Sleep Disorders, Home Ventilator, Aerodigestive and Sleep, Neuromuscular Disorders, Cystic Fibrosis, Upper Airway, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia BPD
Pulmonary Medicine
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Clinical Characteristics of Primary Snoring vs Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children: Analysis of the Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring (PATS) Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 2024; 150.
The interaction between neuromuscular forces, aerodynamic forces, and anatomical motion in the upper airway predicts the severity of pediatric OSA. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 2024; 136:70-78.
Improved recognition of lung function decline as signal of cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbation: a Cystic Fibrosis Learning Network Innovation Laboratory quality improvement initiative. BMJ Open Quality. 2023; 12:e002466.
Circadian blood pressure dysregulation in children with obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep. 2023; zsad254.
Adenotonsillectomy for Snoring and Mild Sleep Apnea in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2023; 330:2084-2095.
Respiratory Insufficiency in Neuromuscular Disease (RIND): A Delphi Study to Establish Consensus Criteria to Define and Diagnose Hypoventilation in Pediatric Neuromuscular Disease. Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases. 2023; 10:1075-1082.
Upper Airway Disease in Cystic Fibrosis. Hodson and Geddes' Cystic Fibrosis. : Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis; 2023.
Defining and Promoting Pediatric Pulmonary Health: Understanding Sleep and Ventilatory Health. Pediatrics. 2023; 152:e2023062292D.
Executive Functioning, Language, and Behavioral Abilities Related to Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Down Syndrome. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 2023; 44:e429-e435.
Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Inhaled Xenon Reveals the Relationship between Airflow and Obstruction in Obstructive Sleep Apnea. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2023; 208:e5-e6.
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