[Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in children: Clinical diagnosis]

Abstract

The French Society of Research and Sleep Medicine (SFRMS) organized a meeting on obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children. A multidisciplinary group of specialists (pulmonologist, ENT surgeons, pediatricians, orofacial myofunctional therapists, neurophysiologists, and sleep specialists) reached a consensus on the value of isolated or clustered clinical symptoms and of questionnaires completed by parents in the clinical diagnosis and in assessing the severity of OSAS. Are clinical history with validated questionnaires and a rigorous physical examination sufficient to suspect OSAS, to appreciate its severity, and finally to confirm the diagnosis? Usually, a sleep recording of respiratory parameters remains mandatory for the diagnosis of OSAS to be made. However, clinical symptoms are very useful for estimating the probability of the diagnosis and the severity of the disease, and therefore for classifying which children will benefit form polysomnography and for proposing an adapted follow-up after OSAS therapy. Even if they are not able to ascertain the diagnosis of OSAS in children, clinical history, questionnaires, and physical examination are very important. Finally, we propose a classification of the indications for polysomnography in children suspected of having OSAS.