Parental perceptions of sleep disordered breathing and sleep disturbances in children with Down syndrome

Abstract

Purpose/Background: Currently, there are over 400,000 individuals living with Down Syndrome (DS) in the United States. It is well established that children with DS have a decreased ability for initiating and maintaining sleep, as well as an increased tendency for daytime sleepiness and an increased incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In conjunction with respiratory infections, sleep disordered breathing is the most common pulmonary disorder affecting children with DS at a prevalence rate of 30% to …