BEAVER DAM, Wis. -- School is out for the year, and when they're not having fun in the sun, many children are catching up on sleep.

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Research shows that teenagers need nine hours of sleep every night, but few get that much.

During school, Jared Pullam couldn't seem to get enough sleep.

"He was falling asleep in class at school. He was very drowsy," said Bonnie Pullam, Jared's mother. "His grades were not very good. I remember he just didn't want to do anything. He'd come home and he'd just be tired. Just wiped out, you know? He'd want to take a nap after school."

At night, Jerad would snore loudly throughout the night. In the morning, he would wake up exhausted.

"His dad has actually taken off of work a few hours in the morning to help me get him up," said Bonnie. "He's just so groggy, he will not get up. I've literally wedged myself behind the bed and said, 'Come on, Jared.' And he'll just fall on the floor."

Jared missed so much school in sixth grade that he had to appear before a judge in truancy court. The judge suggested that Jared might have a condition called sleep apnea.

Dr. Carolyn Nelson is a sleep pathologist at St. Mary’s Hospital. Nelson said sleep apnea can have big consequences for school-age children.

"I can't stress enough how important sleep is, not only for well being and quality of life but also for school performance," said Nelson.

Sleep apnea, Nelson said, can lead to lower IQ scores, cardiac problems and even diabetes later in life.

"Loud snoring is a red flag. Falling asleep during daytime activities of course is another big red flag," said Nelson. "Consuming a lot of caffeine. It was an adolescent who told me that you can now get caffeinated water."

Nighttime symptoms of sleep apnea also include labored breathing and gasping during sleep. Daytime signs can include excessive sleepiness, an inability to concentrate and hyperactivity, WISC-TV reported.

The best way to diagnose sleep apnea is by participating in an overnight sleep study, health officials said.

That's what Jared did at St. Mary's. He dozed off while dozens of electrodes were recording his every move.

The study confirmed that Jared has sleep apnea, and he was given a C-Pap machine to wear at night to help him sleep.

"It's hard to get used to the air pushing against you," said Jared. "When you get the machine, it just feels a lot better. Nights when you actually do sleep, you just feel so much better."

The machine may seem intimidating, but it’s a painless and simple overnight tool that could prevent a lifetime of other health problems.

If you are interested in participating in a sleep study, or if you have questions you’d like answered on sleep disorders, please click here.