Study shows that surgery is not the only answer for snoring in children.
After undergoing the //polysomnography, parents should then discuss the potential benefits of this with their doctor (pediatrician or otolaryngologist) to manage the child's symptoms medically before surgery.
Sleep-disordered breathing can range from mild snoring to severe sleep apnea, and doing a sleep study will give more information on the severity of the condition.
Doctors often suggest an adenotonsillectomy (removal of both the adenoids and tonsils) to improve the condition. However, there are conflicting guidelines on the potential benefits of sleep studies.
The study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of children with normal elective sleep studies for obstructive sleep disordered breathing. To do this, a retrospective study was done on patients aged two to 18 years who underwent diagnostic polysomnography for sleep-disordered breathing from 2012 to 2018.
Michael Cohen, corresponding author, explained that many children (44.7%) had normal sleep studies who would proceed to surgery without a pre-operative sleep study if the guidelines were followed, and the need for surgery was questionable.
Findings also showed that Caucasian children, children without respiratory symptoms other than snoring, children older than four years old, and children with smaller tonsils, were more likely to have normal sleep studies.
Jessica Levi, co-author, believes this research shows that sleep studies can affect managerial decisions on whether to proceed with an adenotonsillectomy or to medically manage the child's symptoms.
"The potential delays in care and cost associated with obtaining polysomnography should be weighed against parental concerns and the possibility that the outcome could change management. These factors should be discussed with the family of each patient with a goal of shared decision-making," adds Levi.
Source-Medindia
Sleep Disorders: A Prelude
Sleep disorders include difficulty falling/staying asleep, falling asleep at inappropriate times, excessive sleep or abnormal behaviors associated with sleep.
Sleep disorders include difficulty falling/staying asleep, falling asleep at inappropriate times, excessive sleep or abnormal behaviors associated with sleep.
Tonsils and Adenoids Cause Sleep Problems in Kids
Adenotonsillectomy is the surgical treatment of swollen tonsils and adenoids and is the chief cure for sleep apnea.
Adenotonsillectomy is the surgical treatment of swollen tonsils and adenoids and is the chief cure for sleep apnea.
Adenotonsillectomy Could Lead To Behavioral Improvements In Children
Adenotonsillectomy is a procedure that removes both the tonsils and the adenoids in children suspected of having obstructive sleep apnea.
Adenotonsillectomy is a procedure that removes both the tonsils and the adenoids in children suspected of having obstructive sleep apnea.
