Kids who find it hard to sleep, effective treatment

Main Category: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Article Date: 26 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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According to a recent study researchers suggest that kids who struggle to breathe during sleep may benefit from having their tonsils and adenoids out.

Adenotonsillectomy is a common surgical procedure in the United States. Most of the time, it is performed to treat recurring bouts of tonsillitis.

During the past decade, however, doctors have also used the surgery to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition in which people periodically stop breathing during sleep due to an obstruction in the upper airway. OSA is usually seen in older, heavier adults, but it can strike children, as well.

Researchers enrolled 60 children diagnosed with OSA who were scheduled for surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids.

Each child's caregiver filled out a standard survey on sleep-related quality of life before the testing and then again about 120 days after the operation.

Results showed significant improvements in quality of life for the children after the surgery. The greatest change was seen in the score for sleep disturbance, which dropped by about 11 points from pre-surgery levels.

Researchers say, that from the study there was found to be a definite improvement in sleep disturbance, physical suffering, emotional distress, and daytime problems in their children after adenotonsillectomy for OSA.