Primary care doctors (family doctors and pediatricians) who suspect that a child has OSA can refer the child for specialized sleep testing to help make the diagnosis. Polysomnography (PSG) is considered the best method or the accepted ‘gold standard’ test for OSA in adults and children. PSG involves overnight evaluation of measures such as oxygen saturation, heart rate, and breathing signals, as well as monitoring of the child’s brain activity to measure sleep stages. PSG is used to establish the frequency of obstructive and/or central pauses in the child’s breathing. A simpler diagnostic test done in the home, called nocturnal home oximetry, is often used as a first pass test. This test provides important information about a child’s oxygen levels and pulse rate during sleep.
Tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy (T±A) , which is the surgical removal of tonsils and adenoids, is the first-line treatment for children with OSA. Several studies have shown that T±A improves sleep, breathing, and quality of life in children with OSA. Another treatment option for some children is non-invasive ventilation (continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), or bi-level positive airway pressure (BPAP)). Weight management is another strategy for improving OSA symptoms in children who are overweight or obese.
Talking to your child’s doctor is the first step if you think your child has symptoms of OSA. Your doctor can then refer you to specialists at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, including sleep medicine clinicians at the Sleep Laboratory, respirologists and/or otolaryngologists for evaluation, diagnostic testing and treatment.
Ref.: Constantin E. and Horwood L. (2013) Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea. In: Kushida C. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Sleep, vol. 3, pp. 290-295. Waltham, MA: Academic Press.