Child Behavior and Quality of Life in Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

Sleep-disordered breathing in children is most commonly caused by adenotonsillar hypertrophy, and tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) is curative in 85% to 95% of cases.1,2 Sleep-disordered breathing is viewed as a continuum of severity, from partial obstruction of the upper airway, producing snoring, to increased upper airway resistance to continuous episodes of complete upper airway obstruction or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Although the prevalence of primary snoring in children is 12%, the prevalence of OSA is 1% to 3%.3 Children with sleep-disordered breathing are usually brought to medical attention because of nighttime breathing difficulties. Recent studies3-10 have also demonstrated behavioral, emotional, and neurocognitive difficulties.