Treatment and management of a child with obstructive sleep apnea: an overview

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder in children characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway obstruction while asleep. It can lead to many adverse health consequences affecting cardiovascular, neurocognitive and metabolic systems. Child with diagnosis of OSA should receive an appropriate management without delay to prevent serious negative health consequences. In this review article we discuss available surgical and non-surgical OSA treatment modalities and when to use them. First-line surgical treatment remains adenotonsillotomy, yet other surgical techniques are beeing introduced, depending on the level of airway obstruction. Non-surgical approach is based on using anti-inflammatory medications (such as intranasal corticosteroids and leukotriene modifier montelukast), positive airway therapy, orthodontics (including rapid maxillary expansion and mandibular advancement devices) as well as other adjucant therapies. Current and new surgical and non-surgical treatment modalities are still beeing developed and may be used to treat especially complex patients with multi-level obstruction or these with persitent OSA.