Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review of Approach to Management

Pediatric sleep apnea is an underestimated and often ignored childhood morbidity which is on rise with an increasing prevalence of obesity.Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) constitutes the bulk of the pediatric sleep-disordered breathing with a fewer proportion of children suffering from central or mixed sleep apnea.OSA often leads to growth failure, cardiovascular dysfunction, behavioral problems, poor learning, and quality of life.Systematic evaluation of the apnea along with appropriate management modality gives an opportunity to gain the short-term and long-term health.This review is focused on the management of OSA in the pediatric age group.Treatment decisions are guided by detailed evaluation findings like anatomic malformation, degree of functional impairment, and sleep study findings.