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Does your child snore when he sleeps at night? If he does, you should consult your pediatrician. He might be suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), a sleep disorder that occurs when breathing is temporarily interrupted during sleep.

OSAS is a common problem in children and is increasingly being recognized as a cause of daytime attentional and behavioral problems. Unlike adults with sleep apnea who are often overweight and frequently wake up at night, children with OSAS are more difficult to recognize and diagnose.

Dr. Gretchen Navarro Locsin, a pediatric otorhinolaryngologist (ENT – head and neck surgeon) at St. Luke’s Medical Center, said parents should be concerned when they hear their children snore loudly at night.

“Snoring while sleeping through the night could be caused by a number of factors. The child could have allergic rhinitis or enlarged tonsils and adenoids,” Locsin said. “Obesity could also be another factor, but whatever the cause, it is important to bring the child to the pediatrician for assessment.”

She added that there is now greater awareness for the condition. In fact, she has carried out over 100 surgeries just to correct the problem of OSAS in children.

Studies show that three to 12 percent of children snore and one to 10 percent of them have OSAS. Although snoring is a common symptom in children with obstructive sleep apnea, it is important to remember that between 10 and 20 percent of normal children snore (primary snoring) on a regular or intermittent basis.

In addition to continuous loud snoring, other symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea in children include failure to thrive (weight loss or poor weight gain); mouth breathing; enlarged tonsils and adenoids; problem sleeping and/or restless sleep; excessive daytime sleepiness; and daytime cognitive and behavior problems, including problems paying attention, aggressive behavior and hyperactivity, which can lead to problems at school.

Locsin said the diagnosis of OSAS in children is usually based on the characteristic clinical symptoms of loud snoring, mouth breathing, observed apnea (stoppage of breathing), and restless/disturbed sleep. These children usually have large tonsils and/or adenoids.

Children suspected of having OSAS should be evaluated by a specialist and, if necessary, should undergo a polysomnographic study (sleep study).

This test is performed overnight in a sleep laboratory under direct supervision.

The brain, heart, lungs, blood oxygen, snoring, body position, muscle and airflow data are collected while the patient is asleep. These data are then analyzed and interpreted by a sleep specialist.

OSAS is just one of the topics that will be tackled during the first Asian Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology Meeting scheduled on June 7-8 at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel.

Organized by the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of St. Luke’s Medical Center, the two-day meeting has the theme “The Classics of Pediatric ORL Practice: An Asian Perspective.”

Eight speakers from Asia and Europe have been invited to speak on rhinology, otology, oropharynx and airway.

For more information, call the Customer Affairs Division of St. Luke’s Medical Center at 723-0101/0301 ext. 4220/4221 or telefax 724-1766. Or e-mail inquiries to [email protected] or log on www.ics.stluke.com.ph/ent-hns.