Pediatric Sleep Apnea Diagnosis: Implications for Practice

Pediatric sleep apnea is often undiagnosed yet can have serious implications for the child's overall health. Problems including inattention, poor learning, and attention/hyperactivity disorders have been attributed to sleep apnea in children. More serious morbidities such as growth failure and pulmonary hypertension have also been reported. Sleep apnea is masked by many comorbid conditions such as allergic rhinitis, upper respiratory infections, and tonsil and adenoidal hypertrophy. Proper identification of the type of sleep apnea through rigorous assessment of historical, physical, and diagnostic findings is imperative in reaching a timely and accurate diagnosis.