Gillian M Nixon1, Margot Davey. 1. MBChB, MD, FRACP, Paediatric Respiratory and Sleep Physician, Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC; Melbourne Children's Sleep Centre, Monash Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC; The Ritchie Centre, MIMR-PHI Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a condition causing repetitive episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to hypoxia and/or sleep disturbance. OSA affects 1-5% of children and has important implications for learning, behaviour and cardiovascular health. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to provide a suggested approach to case finding and treatment of OSA for general practitioners. DISCUSSION: Snoring or noisy breathing during sleep is the cardinal symptom of OSA, and should be specifically sought in children with disturbed sleep, nasal obstruction and large tonsils. Multi-channel physiological recording in a paediatric sleep laboratory is available to formally define the condition. Treatment with adenotonsillectomy usually leads to improvements in key domains. Milder disease may respond to intranasal steroids or anti-inflammatory agents.
BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a condition causing repetitive episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to hypoxia and/or sleep disturbance. OSA affects 1-5% of children and has important implications for learning, behaviour and cardiovascular health. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to provide a suggested approach to case finding and treatment of OSA for general practitioners. DISCUSSION: Snoring or noisy breathing during sleep is the cardinal symptom of OSA, and should be specifically sought in children with disturbed sleep, nasal obstruction and large tonsils. Multi-channel physiological recording in a paediatric sleep laboratory is available to formally define the condition. Treatment with adenotonsillectomy usually leads to improvements in key domains. Milder disease may respond to intranasal steroids or anti-inflammatory agents.
Authors: Michael J Coffey; Isabelle R McKay; Michael Doumit; Sandra Chuang; Susan Adams; Sacha Stelzer-Braid; Shafagh A Waters; Nadine A Kasparian; Torsten Thomas; Adam Jaffe; Tamarah Katz; Chee Y Ooi Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2020-04-14 Impact factor: 2.692