Obstructive sleep apnea in children. A still unknown disease

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children is a common, unrecognized and underdiagnosed condition. Here, we report 13 cases of OSA collected over a period of 18 months in infants and children from 1 month to 7 years. Six children required hospitalization due to respiratory distress. An infant was admitted in intensive care due to two cardiopulmonary arrests. The clinical features included nighttime symptoms of snoring, labored breathing and frequent apnea in all cases. Daytime symptoms included mouth breathing and dyspnea in 6 cases associated to respiratory tract infection. The OSA was caused by adenoidtonsillar hypertrophy in 8 cases, isolated enlargement of adenoids in 2 cases, Pierre Robin syndrome and Treacher Collins syndrome and conical hypertrophy on obstructive allergic rhinitis in one case each. The OSA was complicated by growth failure, behavioral abnormalities and secondary enurisis. Evolution was favorable after adenoido-tonsillectomy and turbinectomy. We had one death caused by pneumonia.