title: Healthcare provider contact for children with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing: a population survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing in children, such as frequent snoring, apnoea and choking, may lead to health problems if untreated. The caregiver's level of awareness of these symptoms has been poorly studied. This study aimed to study healthcare provider contact related to sleep-disordered breathing symptoms in a population of children aged 0-11 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1320 children were randomly selected from a national database that included all children living in Sweden. Caregivers answered a questionnaire about sleep-disordered breathing symptoms during the last month and healthcare provider contact related to these symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 754 answers were received. The prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing symptoms was 4.8 per cent. Of this subgroup, 69 per cent had not been in contact with a healthcare provider regarding their symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that sleep-disordered breathing in children is underestimated and that there is a need to increase caregiver and healthcare provider awareness of sleep-disordered breathing in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Institution for Clinical Sciences,Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University,Sahlgrenska University Hospital,Gothenburg,Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gudnadottir
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences,Intervention and Technology,Division Otorhinolaryngology,Karolinska Institutet,Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehnhage
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Central Hospital,Skövde,Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bende
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Head & Neck Surgery,Skåne University Hospital,Lund and Malmö,Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital,School of Medicine,University of Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cervin
authors.affiliation: Division of ENT Diseases,Department of Clinical Sciences,Intervention and Technology,Karolinska Institutet,Huddinge,Sweden.
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Cardell
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Institution for Clinical Sciences,Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University,Sahlgrenska University Hospital,Gothenburg,Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hellgren
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012913:Snoring / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Health Services Accessibility; Pediatrics; Self Report; Sleep Apnea Syndromes; Snoring