advanced search


or find by letter: A-F G-L M-R S-Z

My Child Has...

Home

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Programs that treat this condition

	Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders		Center for Healthy Infant Lung Development (CHILD)
	General Otolaryngology Program		Chronic Pulmonary and Ventilator Program

What is obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which a child's breathing is repeatedly blocked during sleep. During episodes of blockage, the child continues trying to breath, working hard and snoring because of the obstruction. However, the amount of air inhaled with each breath is reduced or even absent. These periods of blockage may lead to temporarily low levels of oxygen in the blood as well as disrupted sleep.

What causes obstructive sleep apnea?

In sleep, muscle tone decreases allowing structures of the mouth and throat to fall closer together. Any disorder that causes a further narrowing of the upper airway in the back of the throat can lead to obstructive sleep apnea.

The most common causes of obstructive sleep apnea is children are:

Adenoid and tonsillar enlargement (enlargement of these spongy, glandular tissues at the back of the throat is most common cause in children)
Obesity
Down Syndrome (and other genetic disorders)
Oher disorders affecting the structure of the jaw and face(such as Pierre-Robin, Apert, and Crouzon syndromes)
Oher disorders affecting muscle tone and function (such as muscular dystrophy and spasticity.

What are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea?

The most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are:

loud snoring or noisy breathing during sleep
periods inadequate and difficult breathing lasting typically 6 - 20 seconds, often ending in a gasp, snore, snort, or sigh
mouth breathing
restlessness during sleep
excessive daytime sleepiness or irritability (because the quality of sleep is poor)
hyperactivity during the day (as a symptom of sleepiness in a child).

The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child's physician for a diagnosis.

How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?

If your pediatrician suspects your child may have obstructive sleep apnea, he/she may refer your child for a sleep study and/or for consultation with a sleep specialist, or to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician (otolaryngologist) for further evaluation.

Full assessment includes:

medical history and physical examination
sleep history - report from parents or caretaker
evaluation of the upper airway (by direct examination or x-ray)
sleep study ( polysomnography) - the best test available for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea.

Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea:

Specific treatment recommendations for obstructive sleep apnea will be determined by your child's physician based on:

cause of the condition
the severity of the condition
your child's age, overall health, and medical history
your child's tolerance for specific intervention
your opinion or preference

The most common treatments in children are:

Adenotonsillectomy (with removal of the enlarged tissue)
CPAP (wearing a special mask over the nose at night through which air is blown to keep the airway open)
weight loss (generally a long-term treatment)
other surgery of the facial structures (in special circumstances).


					Children's Hospital Boston is the primary pediatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School

Site Map

Privacy

Accessibility

Give Now

en Español