Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children

Obstructive sleep apnea in children is a common complaint from parents and a form of sleep disorder that can cause further disorder such as growth and development disorder, behavioral disorder, enuresis and cor pulmonale. Those are the reasons why we need to understand and manage this sleeping disorder in children. Pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea becomes a vicious cycle when it alters craniofacial growth and development, whereas an underlying abnormal craniofacial skeleton can cause further airway obstruction. The cardiovascular changes in children appear secondary to abnormal stimulation and children are less likely to be awoken by their apneic events. Nocturnal polysomnography is the gold standard for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea. Unfortunately, there are not many institutions has it. Complete and precise clinical and laboratory examination still be the main role in daily practice. Management of obstructive sleep apnea can be conservative or operative. Conservative management includes diet, medicamentous, and using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. Operative management mainly is adenotonsillectomy, while patients with craniofacial disorder needs multidiscipline approach. Keywords: obstructive sleep apnea, CPAP, polysomnography