Disordered breathing during sleep in newborns, infants, and children. Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
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Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
Published on: March 6, 2019
1Nashville Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-1632, USA.
Insights
Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing shares polysomnographic similarities with adults but differs in causes and reactions. This review highlights key distinctions in testing and treatment for newborns, infants, and children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Sleep Medicine
- Clinical Pediatrics
Background:
- Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent in pediatric populations.
- Polysomnographic findings in pediatric SDB often resemble adult patterns.
- However, etiological factors and clinical presentations can differ significantly across pediatric age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the similarities and differences in sleep-disordered breathing between pediatric age groups (newborns, infants, children) and adults.
- To highlight variations in disease reaction, diagnostic approaches, and therapeutic strategies.
- To provide a comprehensive overview for clinicians managing pediatric SDB.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on pediatric sleep-disordered breathing.
- Comparative analysis of polysomnographic findings, causes, and clinical responses in pediatric versus adult populations.
- Synthesis of current knowledge on testing and treatment modalities.
Main Results:
- While polysomnography shows similarities, the underlying causes of SDB in children vary by age (newborn, infant, child).
- Pediatric patients may exhibit distinct reactions to SDB compared to adults.
- Testing and treatment protocols require age-specific considerations.
Conclusions:
- Understanding age-dependent variations in pediatric SDB is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective management.
- Tailoring diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to specific pediatric age groups improves patient outcomes.
- This review underscores the importance of differentiating pediatric SDB from adult presentations.
Abstract:
Although the polysomnographic findings of sleep-disordered breathing in children are similar to those in adults, the underlying causes will vary significantly from adults, depending on whether one is dealing with a newborn, infant, or child. How they react to the disease process is also at times different than seen in the adult and subsequent testing and treatment will also vary considerably. These differences and similarities are reviewed in this article.
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