[Obstructive sleep apnea in childhood: anesthesiological aspects].

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can affect all ages from infants to adults. The clinical pathology is initially age-dependent and symptoms first become comparable to those in adults during adolescence. Significant indications for OSA during childhood are craniofacial dysmorphia, failure to thrive, susceptibility to infections or delayed development of speech. Prior to puberty children can become conspicuous due to agitation, attention deficits, poor school performance or secondary enuresis. Crucial for anesthesia is a presumptive diagnosis in order to consider OSA for the forthcoming strategy. Safety aspects in the treatment of OSA children are especially related to the perioperative securing of the airway and a sufficiently long monitoring of respiratory functions.