Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Infant and Newborn

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea in newborns and infants presents a unique challenge with distinct differences in sleep physiology, etiologies, and management compared to older children. The indications for and interpretation of polysomnography are less well defined in infants. There are also no broadly accepted clinical practice guidelines for treating sleep apnea in this age group. Etiologies include general causes of upper airway obstruction in infants such as laryngomalacia, micrognathia, and nasal obstruction in addition to adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Treatment strategies must be tailored to the specific anatomic features and comorbidities of the specific patients and often require a multidisciplinary approach.

Keywords: CPAP; Infant; Laryngomalacia; Micrognathia; Neonate; Obstructive sleep apnea; Pediatric; Sleep disordered breathing.