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Getting Smarter about Kids with Sleep Apnea
I like the direction this study is taking. Seems as if not enough attention has been devoted to Sleep Apnea in Kids . . .
Children, just like adults can suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, brought on
by enlarged tonsils and adenoids.
Today, as many as 3 percent of all children and as many as 30 percent of
overweight or obese children have the condition. And about 75 percent of the
500,000 surgeries performed each year to remove tonsils or adenoids are to cure
the sleep disorder, rather than chronic infections such as tonsillitis.
Dr. Ron Mitchell, professor of otolaryngology at St. Louis University, is
recruiting children for a study to compare those who undergo surgery to remove
their tonsils or adenoids versus those who receive treatments, such as a saline
nasal spray.
SLU is one of six research sites nationwide participating in the ChildHood
AdenoTonsillectomy study that will look at 500 children with obstructive sleep
apnea. It's being funded by the National Institutes of Health.
"In normal weight kids, (sleep apnea) is usually from tonsils and adenoids that
start getting larger at age 3 and stop at about age 8, then shrink in the teen
years," says Mitchell. "They can get so big that they block the nose and mouth
so air flow is restricted, similar to what happens in adults."
These children, he adds, often experience quality of life and health issues in
the form of learning problems, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,
obesity, pre-diabetes, slow growth and high cholesterol.
During the study, the children will undergo an overnight sleep study to see if
they have sleep apnea. Researchers will also determine if they have any health
or quality of life issues.
Those who have sleep apnea will be divided into two groups: one will have their
tonsils and adenoids removed; the other will get saline nasal spray to use each
day. Seven months later, they'll undergo another sleep apnea test and will be
evaluated again for the health conditions and behavioral issues.
Mitchell hopes the study will help doctors better determine when to recommend
surgery and when to wait and see if the child grows out of the problem.
"This will allow us to use health care resources more effectively," he says.
"We'll be able to counsel parents in a more evidence-base manner."
(source: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/healthfitnes...)
Children, just like adults can suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, brought on
by enlarged tonsils and adenoids.
Today, as many as 3 percent of all children and as many as 30 percent of
overweight or obese children have the condition. And about 75 percent of the
500,000 surgeries performed each year to remove tonsils or adenoids are to cure
the sleep disorder, rather than chronic infections such as tonsillitis.
Dr. Ron Mitchell, professor of otolaryngology at St. Louis University, is
recruiting children for a study to compare those who undergo surgery to remove
their tonsils or adenoids versus those who receive treatments, such as a saline
nasal spray.
SLU is one of six research sites nationwide participating in the ChildHood
AdenoTonsillectomy study that will look at 500 children with obstructive sleep
apnea. It's being funded by the National Institutes of Health.
"In normal weight kids, (sleep apnea) is usually from tonsils and adenoids that
start getting larger at age 3 and stop at about age 8, then shrink in the teen
years," says Mitchell. "They can get so big that they block the nose and mouth
so air flow is restricted, similar to what happens in adults."
These children, he adds, often experience quality of life and health issues in
the form of learning problems, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,
obesity, pre-diabetes, slow growth and high cholesterol.
During the study, the children will undergo an overnight sleep study to see if
they have sleep apnea. Researchers will also determine if they have any health
or quality of life issues.
Those who have sleep apnea will be divided into two groups: one will have their
tonsils and adenoids removed; the other will get saline nasal spray to use each
day. Seven months later, they'll undergo another sleep apnea test and will be
evaluated again for the health conditions and behavioral issues.
Mitchell hopes the study will help doctors better determine when to recommend
surgery and when to wait and see if the child grows out of the problem.
"This will allow us to use health care resources more effectively," he says.
"We'll be able to counsel parents in a more evidence-base manner."
(source: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/healthfitnes...)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on -
I would like to have all children tested before they are labeled learning disabled, ADHD, ADD, or other conditions that maybe attributed to sleep apnea.
I think it would be a small price to pay to have a proper diagnosis instead of always reaching for the easiest route to solve a problem.
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Permalink Reply by Rock Hinkle on -
I agree Carol I know that in my own experience with my daughter this can be a tough road to go down. With everything that I demanded for my duaghters well being i am now sure that we received the right Dx.
sleepycarol said:I would like to have all children tested before they are labeled learning disabled, ADHD, ADD, or other conditions that maybe attributed to sleep apnea.
I think it would be a small price to pay to have a proper diagnosis instead of always reaching for the easiest route to solve a problem.
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on
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I know all the testing can be an expensive drain on family finances but it is far better to have a right DX then to just slap a bandaid on the problem.
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Permalink Reply by D. W. Conn on -
My first Cardiac trauma case was a 7 year old with myocardial infarction. This 7 year old child presented to the cath lab unconscious and chest compressions being performed. This 7 year old boy was obese 94 pounds and 46 inches tall. His dad said he cried out in his sleep then said his chest hurt. The child then lapsed into unconsciousness. 911 was called and paramedics arrived and found him to be in V-Tach degrading into V-Fib within a few minutes, shocks were successful temporarily revealing sinus tach with elevated S-T segment. This means heart attack. The Child went back into V-Fib in route to Hospital and was brought into the cath lab.
He was shocked back into Sinus R, angiogram was performed and it was found his LAD had spasm and closed off and he had a 90% occlusion of the circumflex artery. Following stinting (yes we do stint kiddos) he was monitored in PICU for over a week. It was found he had unresolved sleep apnea with SpO2 as low as 74% while sleeping. T & A was performed and he was kept in the hospital. This did not resolve the situation and CPAP therapy was started. This was in 1993 and in 2003 he was still doing fine. He had weight loss and he had grown into a nice looking young man. He continued CPAP therapy and in 2003 was sent to the sleep lab where it was found he continued to have sleep apnea. Have no idea how he is today. This child’s parents were diligent with his treatment I am sure he is doing well.Children and heart attacks. I thought I had seen the worst but then a 19 month old female came in cardiac distress. I cried through the entire case.
The purpose of telling you this story is to inform you of the necessity of screening children for Apnea and cardiac issues. Many times we as healthcare workers overlook the obvious. One would not expect a child of 7 to suffer from what is thought to be a middle-aged man’s disease.
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You re too kind Judy! :) But I do like to be well informed when I have important decisions to make. Just makes sense no?
I am 47 years old and have severe central sleep apnea. I have tried both the CPAP and Bi-PAP machines. The problem that I have been having is the I still stop breathing with the machine on and even have vomited into the mask. Several Doctors tell me…
Thank you Judy for your informative responses to my questions. I am somewhat new to this and will, now, take it a lot more serious.
Thank you so much for the thoughtful and thorough response. I will really take this to heart.
I bet the ZamBuk will work for you (though I'm not familiar with it). Most of the time I don't have a problem with my mask, but the one time I did someone recommended Neosporin with pain reliever during the day (it must be washed off before using th…
Stephane, you are the ideal CPAP therapy patient. You've educated yourself well!! What you have accomplished is so very impressive and hopefully an inspiration to newcomers to educate themselves and take an active part in their therapy.
Thank you and thanks for the warm welcome!
I have to pay for my machine because I'm a freelancer. I have no company/private insurance plan that covers the equipment itself and the government doesn't pay for it either. On the other hand, I didn't ha…
Not wearing the mask can, indeed, make the problem get worse. Obstructive sleep apnea can progress in the sense that it can ruin a person's ability to sleep properly. The body can get caught in a vicious circle where it learns to ignore the conditio…
I would agree w/Francisco that an educated health care team is important to successful CPAP therapy. BUT you have to keep in mind that YOU are the very core of that health care team and YOU have to do YOUR part to educate yourself and take an active…
Heart attack. Stroke.
Was the article about the 26 year old man who died during a sleep study at Emory in Atlanta, GA? No cause of death has been given yet, but he is reported to have had multiple health conditons and was quite "heavy set".
Reggie…
"People with obstructive sleep apnea have a peak in sudden death from cardiac causes during the sleeping hours. . . At night, people with untreated obstructive sleep apnea have too little oxygen and too much carbon dioxide in their blood. Their nerv…
Welcome to the forum, Stephane.
In Canada you have to pay for your CPAP and equipment IN FULL out of pocket??? Or you have to pay in full because of the APAP you chose?
Its good to read you are doing so well so soon. Congratulations!
Francisco, are you in the USA? I've never heard of the Roscoe mask and would be interested since it doesn't have the forehead piece. The less there is to a mask the better I like it.
I am currently using the ProBasics Zzz-Mask full face mask and li…
I saw a article title some where that someone died from sleep apnea but, unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to read the article. I am very interested to know exactly how one would die and from what. I am not talking about longterm debilitation fro…
In what ways does your body get worse? Are you talking about the effects of less sleep?
6" to 12" comming tomorow. High winds after the storm. God plese don't let the power fail.
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