Obstructive Sleep Apnea in children

Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children - ENT Clinic Dubai DRHC

Obstructive sleep apnoea in children exists for a long time without being widely recognized as a clinical syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnoea can be defined as ‘a disorder of upper airway obstruction and/or intermittent complete obstruction that disrupts ventilation during sleep and normal sleep patterns’.

Primary snoring is defined as noisy breathing (snoring) without obstructive apnoea, frequent arousals from sleep, or gas exchange abnormalities.

Sleep-disordered breathing is a term which can be used to describe both snoring and OSA.

Night-time symptoms

• Do they snore?
• Do they get a good night’s sleep or are they restless?
• Do they wake through the night?
• Do they struggle with their breathing or stop breathing? This should be explored fully with a clear explanation of respiratory effort with obstruction and respiratory effort with snoring to try to clarify the history.
• Do they sleep in an unusual position (e.g. extended head)?
• Do they sweat excessively?
• Do they wet the bed?

Day time symptoms

• Do they have any behaviour or concentration problems?
• Do they mouth breathe?
• Do they struggle with eating?
• Are they growing normally?