Obstructive sleep apnea in children – a review

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep. OSA is one of the most common causes of sleep disordered breathing in children. Pediatric OSA affects 2 to 5 % of school-aged children. The pathophysiology of this disorder in children is multifactorial, but two significant risk factors include adenotonsillar hypertrophy and obesity. Snoring, difficulty in breathing and tiredness are prominent symptoms in children. Pediatric OSA has been linked to metabolic changes, growth inhibition, and cardiovascular sequelae. Consequences of un-treated OSA include failure to thrive, enuresis, attention deficit disorder, behavior problems, poor academic performance and cardio pulmonary disease.