obstructive sleep apnoea in children
Last reviewed 01/2018
Sleep disordered breathing in children form a spectrum of conditions ranging from primary snoring through to obstructive apnoea (1).
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a condition with prolonged partial obstruction and/or intermittent complete obstruction of the upper airway that adversely affects ventilation during sleep resulting in an interruption of normal sleep patterns (1)
- it can be due to either an anatomical obstruction in the pharyngeal airway or a reduction of pharyngeal muscle tone, or a combination of both
OSA in children differs from adult OSA since it has completely different clinical features and requires different management strategies (1)
Reference:
referral criteria for children with obstructive sleep apnoea