Objectives: To characterize the daytime sequelae of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children.
Background: OSA syndrome is a common disorder in children with estimates of prevalence ranging from 1.1 to 2.9%. Numerous studies have documented neuropsychological deficits in adults with OSA, although only a few preliminary studies have described these problems in children with OSA.
Methods: In the present study, otherwise healthy children with OSA (n=28), and a healthy age-matched comparison group (n=10) were assessed with standard measures of sleep, behavior, and cognitive function.
Results: Children with OSA had significantly more behavior problems than the healthy comparison group based on parents' reports (F=7.29, P<0.005). Children diagnosed with moderate to severe OSA had significantly lower scores on a timed cancellation task that assesses sustained attention (F=10.0, P<0.01). A significant association was found between OSA severity (rho=-86, P<0.01) and measures of verbal ability.
Conclusions: These initial findings suggest that there are identifiable daytime sequelae of childhood OSA and that it is important to evaluate these daytime disturbances in making determinations about intervention.