Sleep disordered breathing refers to a spectrum of breathing disorders, ranging from snoring to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, a condition in which the patient stops and starts breathing many times over the course of the night. One side effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is chronic fatigue during the day.
Often, the problem stems from enlarged tonsils and adenoids, masses of tissue that help catch incoming germs; the tonsils are located in the back of the throat, while the adenoids dwell behind the nose.
Studies have found that children with sleep disordered breathing also have an elevated rate of behavioral problems, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and poor school performance. It's thought that poor sleep quality contributes to these problems.
Adenotonsillectomy can cure children's sleep disordered breathing, and the results of the new study suggest that accompanying behavioral issues may also improve, researchers say.
"For children with behavior problems, chronic snoring may contribute to such behaviors, and if the snoring is addressed, there can be significant improvement in their quality of life," lead study author Dr. Julie L. Wei, of the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, told Reuters Health.
The study, published in the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery, included 117 children with sleep disordered breathing who underwent adenotonsillectomy. Before the surgery and six months after the procedure, parents completed questionnaires on their children's sleep disordered breathing symptoms and behavioral problems, including inattention, hyperactivity and defiance...
Via Reuters
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