Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders
Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders — Obstructive Sleep Apnea
What is obstructive sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that can affect your child’s breathing during sleep due to obstruction/blockage of the airway. Lack of restorative sleep can cause hyperactivity and impaired concentration at school, leading to a false diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
What are the symptoms?
- Snoring
- Sleeping in an unusual position, such as elevation of the head or propped-up position
- Apnea (breathing pauses) during sleep
- Coughing
- Gasping during sleep
- Sweating heavily in sleep
- Morning headache
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Not feeling refreshed in the morning
What should I do if my child has obstructive sleep apnea symptoms?
Ask your pediatrician to refer your child to a sleep specialist for further evaluation. A sleep specialist will see your child in the clinic and may order an overnight sleep study, called polysomnography.
What is a sleep study?
A sleep study is an overnight procedure and completely painless. Your child will not be alone. One parent can stay in your child’s room that night.
A team of sleep technicians will place some leads on your child’s head and body to monitor sleep patterns, duration and quality of sleep. In addition, leads will be placed on the legs and arms to detect movements. A plastic cannula will be placed under the nose along with belts on the chest and belly to monitor respiration and pulse oximetry, monitoring oxygen saturation.
The study will be video recorded. After the completion of the study, your sleep specialist will read all of the waveforms and provide you with the results.
What are the risk factors?
- Large tonsils and adenoids
- Obesity
- Genetic anomalies, such as Down syndrome
- Craniofacial abnormalities, such as micrognathia or retrognathia
- Neuromuscular disorders
What can happen if obstructive sleep apnea is not treated?
Obstructive sleep apnea can cause frequent drops in oxygen levels in the blood, which can cause heart failure in the long term. It can affect growth, development and school performance.
What are the treatment options?
- Lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise
- Surgical removal of tonsils and adenoids if they are enlarged
- Providing positive airway pressure through a mask (CPAP) to prevent airway blockage
The sleep specialist will discuss the options for your child’s sleep disorder.
