M. Zucconi et al., HABITUAL SNORING AND OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP-APNEA SYNDROME IN CHILDREN - EFFECTS OF EARLY TONSIL SURGERY, International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology, 26(3), 1993, pp. 235-243
Habitual snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) in childre
n are important in determining disturbed sleep, daytime symptoms and h
aemodynamic modifications. Moreover, chronic snoring is often associat
ed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids. We studied 60 children (mean ag
e 42.2 months) with habitual snoring, defined as a positive answer to
the question 'does the child snore every night', by nocturnal or diurn
al polysomnography in order to evaluate breathing disorders and choose
surgical correction of upper airway stenosis. In more than half the c
hildren habitual (every night) snoring begin before the first year of
life and is associated with obstructive apneas. Both nocturnal and, wi
th some limits, diurnal recordings may be a good tool for diagnosis of
sleep-related upper airway obstruction. Early adenomonotonsillectomy,
in mild to moderate form and in children before 4 years of age, and a
denotonsillectomy in the others seems to show a clinical and polysomno
graphic resolution of snoring and OSA during a short-term follow up.