Pediatric Sleep Scoring

OSAS is the most common indication for polysomnography. OSAS is common in the pediatric age group, occurring in approximately 2% of young children

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be screened by history for snoring
• recognizing that OSAS is common and is frequently under-diagnosed. Whether or not primary snoring. However, it has been well established that clinical history alone cannot distinguish primary snoring from OSAS in children
• Thus, both the American Thoracic Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend polysomnography as the diagnostic test of choice for children with suspected OSAS.

In most cases of pediatric OSAS, children present with signs or symptoms of obstructive breathing patterns during sleep, including snoring, labored breathing, witnessed apnea, gasping, mouth-breathing, or sleeping in unusual positions (such as with the neck hyperextended).Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) .

Pediatric polysomnography is used to titrate CPAP and bilevel pressures, as well as home ventilators, in children. One of the main differences in pediatric CPAP titration studies compared to adults is that split night studies are not commonly performed, for several reasons. Often, the children referred to the sleep lab have complex medical issues, and the decision to initiate PAP is multifaceted and is best done in an office setting. In addition, since adenotonsillectomy is the first line of treatment for childhood OSAS.