Early Tonsillectomy for Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Too Early to Draw Conclusions.

Abstract

* Abbreviations: BIA — : Brief Intellectual Ability OSDB — : obstructive sleep-disordered breathing POSTA — : Preschool Obstructive Sleep Apnea Tonsillectomy Adenoidectomy Approximately 500 000 US children undergo tonsillectomy, with or without adenoidectomy, every year.1–2 Most adenotonsillectomies are performed for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB), which encompasses a broad range of conditions from primary snoring to obstructive sleep apnea.3,4 OSDB is prevalent in children and more common in children who are overweight, Black, Hispanic, or economically disadvantaged.5–8 Children with OSDB experience neurobehavioral issues, including problems with attention, hyperactivity, and learning. These sequelae may be explained by disruptions in sleep and intermittent hypoxia. However, social and environmental factors also play a role as root causes of both OSDB and neurobehavioral concerns.9–11 Because of the high prevalence of OSDB in children, especially in vulnerable populations, and its impact on behavior and learning issues, for which vulnerable children are more at risk, optimizing appropriate, timely treatment of OSDB is a public health priority. In this issue of Pediatrics , Waters et al12 report on the cognitive, behavioral, and sleep effects of adenotonsillectomy in preschool-aged children … Address correspondence to Jennifer N. Cooper, PhD, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Dr, FB Suite 3A.3, Columbus OH 43205. E-mail: jennifer.cooper{at}nationwidechildrens.org