Schnarchen und obstruktives Schlafapnoesyndrom (OSAS): Richtlinien zur Diagnosestellung und Therapie im Kindesalter

Snoring in childhood and adolescence is not necessarily a pleasant habit. In one out of five cases it is caused by obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and requires careful treatment. Typical symptoms should alert parents and prompt the attending physician to instigate further examinations. The gold standard for the diagnosis of OSAS in childhood and adolescence is a pediatric sleep laboratory examination and should therefore be arranged according to availability. Patients with congenital or acquired abnormalities of the respiratory tract or neuromuscular illnesses clearly are at highest risk of suffering from OSAS and require special attention. Decisions on therapeutic interventions should be made by a multidisciplinary team. The most common cause of OSAS is hypertrophy of the tonsils or adenoids and is easily resolved by surgical excision that leads to the disappearance of symptoms. In some severe cases of OSAS, nocturnal nasal continuous positive pressure ventilation is necessary. No therapy or delayed therapy can cause serious somatic and psychological disorders and influence the development of the affected children and adolescents negatively.