Photo by Hayley Young

George Makari, M.D.
Specialty: Pediatric neurology, pediatric sleep medicine and developmental disabilities
Practice: Mary Bridge Pediatric Neurology Clinic
Hospital affiliation: Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center
Medical degree: Cairo University, Egypt

What’s the main misconception about sleep disorders?
That there is magic pill that can fix it.

What’s one piece of advice you often give to parents of children with sleep disorders? 
Keep a regular sleep schedule and make sure that children have enough sleep. The other one is decreasing screen time, particularly before bedtime. No TV in the bedroom.

What’s the one thing very few patients know about you?
When I first came to the United States, I already had my medical degree, but could not get a job in the field right away. I had no immediate family here, and I worked in a grocery store bagging groceries. When my coworkers asked me what my plans were and I told them that I graduated from medical school and was looking for an internship, they laughed and suggested that I needed to see a psychiatrist.

Originally published in July 2010