Aetiological factors and development in subjects with obstructive sleep apnoea

Objective: To examine whether maternal pregnancy complications, adverse bir th events, respiratory illnesses, or developmental difficulty were increase d in neurologically normal children with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and whether severity of OSA adversely affects the child's development and temp erament. Methodology: Maternal report of perinatal events, respiratory illness and d evelopmental difficulty in 37 children with OSA was contrasted with a compa rison group (n = 67). Children with OSA were assessed developmentally (Grif fiths Scales), had a parental rating of temperament (Australian Temperament Scale) and attended an overnight polysomnographic sleep study. Results: Children with OSA had an increased prevalence of adverse maternal pregnancy and perinatal events, respiratory disease and developmental conce rns. Limited associations were found between the severity of OSA and develo pment or temperament difficulty. Conclusions: This study suggests a relationship between OSA, though not its severity, and pre/perinatal adversity and child development. Polysomnograp hic and detailed developmental assessment of community-based samples of chi ldren with OSA and control children are necessary to confirm these findings .