title: Obstructive Sleep Apnea Mimics Attention Deficit Disorder.
abstract: Attention deficit and hyperactivity are known possible symptoms or correlates of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, these associations may be missed in children, because children often fail to report excessive daytime sleepiness, and attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are common primary diagnoses in themselves. We report on a 17-year-old, slender, non-snoring male who presented to his pediatrician with a prolonged history of four complaints: inattention, fidgeting, frequent sinusitis, and somnolence. He was diagnosed with ADHD, while the somnolence, which often abated somewhat upon use of antibiotics for sinusitis, was attributed to the sinus infections. A later sleep study revealed OSA, and thorough additional testing proved that the original ADHD diagnosis was in error. All four conditions were allayed with proper use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.
authors.affiliation: Utica Park Clinic, Owasso, OK, USA.
authors.forename: Lauri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blesch
authors.affiliation: Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, Tulsa, OK, USA Sjmccoy98@aol.com.
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Breese McCoy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: ADHD; obstructive sleep apnea