Sleep-disordered breathing and behavior in three risk groups: preliminary findings from parental reports.
Sleep-related breathing disorders may cause excessive daytime sleepiness, cognitive impairment, and behavior problems in children and adolescents. Adenotonsillar enlargement (AT) is known to be a significant risk factor for these disorders, which have also been reported in several patients with Down syndrome (DS). Children with attention deficit disorder/hyperactivity (ADD) show behavior problems that may be related to disturbed nocturnal sleep in some. To evaluate the relationships among these disorders and symptoms, parents of 29 school-aged children with AT, 70 with DS and 48 of their siblings (DS-SIB), and 21 with ADD completed a 20-item screening questionnaire covering nocturnal sleep symptoms and daytime behavior problems. Nocturnal symptoms of sleep-related breathing disorders--snoring, breathing pauses during sleep--were reported more commonly by parents of AT and DS children. However, parents of two of the ADD children reported significant signs of sleep-related breathing disorders. Daytime behavior problems were more common in ADD and AT than in the DS group. Bedwetting reports did not distinguish groups. Direct comparisons of DS and DS-SIB groups showed that more DS were mouth breathers, snored, stopped breathing at night, and were sleepy in the daytime. These findings underscore the importance of obtaining a history of nocturnal sleep from parents of children with AT and DS, as well as those with disrupted daytime behavior.
Carskadon
M A
MA
Sleep Research Laboratory, E.P. Bradley Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI 02903.
Pueschel
S M
SM
Millman
R P
RP
D000234:Adenoids / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000150:complications; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology