[Respiratory disorders during sleep in children].

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Sleep Medicine
• Cardiorespiratory Physiology

Context:

• Respiratory disorders are frequent in sleeping children.
• Evaluation involves studying respiratory function across sleep stages using neurophysiological criteria.
• Interpretation requires understanding respiratory adaptations in healthy infants during sleep.

Purpose:

• To outline the common causes and implications of respiratory disorders in sleeping children.
• To emphasize the importance of sleep stage-specific respiratory assessment.
• To highlight potential long-term cardiovascular consequences.

Summary:

• Common causes include obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (often due to enlarged tonsils), nocturnal exacerbations of chronic lung diseases (e.g., cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia), nocturnal asthma, and central alveolar hypoventilation.
• Assessment requires detailed analysis of respiratory function during different sleep stages.
• Understanding normal infant respiratory adaptation during sleep is crucial for accurate diagnosis.

Impact:

• Sleep-related respiratory disorders can lead to significant short- and long-term risks.
• These risks include adverse effects on pulmonary circulation.
• Potential for compromised right heart function is a critical concern.