title: Natural history of snoring and other sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) symptoms in 7-year-old New Zealand children: a follow-up from age 3.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to examine the natural history of snoring and associated symptoms in a community sample of New Zealand children at ages 3 and 7 years, and identify factors associated with habitual snoring at age 7 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parent/s of children (n = 839) who completed the community survey about their child's sleep and breathing at age 3 years were re-contacted via mail 4 years later when children were aged 7 years. Parents were asked to complete a follow-up questionnaire which included items relating to their child's sleep and health, and family demographic information. There was a 54.8% (n = 460) response rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At follow-up, habitual snoring was prevalent in 9.2% of the sample, similar to the 11.3% reported at age 3 years. However, habitual snoring status changed over time; 36.2% (n = 21/58) remained habitual snorers; 63.8% (n = 37/58) were no longer snoring habitually, while 5.3% (n = 21/397) had started habitual snoring since the initial survey. Overall, the reported severity of SDB-related symptoms decreased over time, regardless of initial habitual snoring status. Nonetheless, habitual snoring at follow-up was significantly associated with mouth breathing, sleeping with the neck extended, sweating profusely, night waking, and parent-reported child irritability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings highlight the dynamic nature of SDB, where habitual snoring and related symptoms can develop, remain present, or resolve at different times, over early-mid-childhood years. Given the dynamic nature of habitual snoring over the early childhood years, pediatricians should continue to screen for snoring and sleep apnea on an annual basis throughout childhood.
authors: Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors: Rebekah
authors: R
authors: Luo
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Schaughency
authors: Amelia I
authors: AI
authors: Gill
authors: Patrick J D
authors: PJ
authors: Dawes
authors: Barbara C
authors: BC
authors: Galland
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009520:New Zealand; D012307:Risk Factors; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012913:Snoring / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
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