Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), affecting about 5% of all
children, has positioned itself to be a major epidemiological problem in the United
States. The prevalence of this condition appears to be increasing over time, in parallel
with the growth in childhood obesity. Pediatric OSAS belongs to a spectrum of
respiratory disorders called sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), caused by varying
degrees of paroxysmal upper airway obstruction during sleep. Left untreated, OSAS
has potential to progress over time, leading to not just fragmented sleep, but also
neurocognitive problems, and in the most severe instances, serious cardiopulmonary
adverse effects. The treatment of OSAS involves a structured series of steps spanning
medical and surgical approaches, including adenotonsillectomy, which is considered
the gold standard for management of childhood OSAS. This chapter provides a review
of the epidemiology of OSAS, followed by a discussion of natural history, treatment
and follow up.
Keywords: Adenotonsillectomy, Obesity, Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea,
Snoring.
