Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy DISE with Target Controlled Infusion TCI and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
07:54

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy DISE with Target Controlled Infusion TCI and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Published on: December 6, 2016

20.5K

Prenatal, Perinatal, and Early Childhood Factors Associated with Childhood Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Ting Chen1, Mary E Hughes1, Hongjian Wang2

  • 1Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|June 30, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal factors like maternal obesity, low birth weight, childhood obesity, and high leptin levels significantly increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children. Early identification and prevention are crucial.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Epidemiology
  • Neonatology

Background:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a significant health concern in children.
  • Early life factors may influence the development of pediatric OSA.
  • Understanding these risk factors is essential for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate prenatal, perinatal, and early childhood factors, including plasma leptin levels, associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children.
  • To identify key risk factors for pediatric OSA within the Boston Birth Cohort.
  • To explore the combined effects of identified risk factors on OSA development.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary analysis of 2867 mother-child pairs from the Boston Birth Cohort (1998-2014).
  • Children's OSA diagnosis based on medical records; plasma leptin measured in cord and early childhood samples.
  • Logistic regression used to assess individual and combined effects of early life factors on OSA risk.

Main Results:

  • Four significant risk factors for pediatric OSA were identified: maternal obesity/diabetes during pregnancy, preterm/low birth weight, early childhood obesity, and high early childhood leptin levels.
  • The odds ratio for OSA increased with each identified risk factor.
  • The presence of all four risk factors amplified the odds of OSA by approximately 10 times.

Conclusions:

  • Early life factors, including maternal health, birth characteristics, childhood obesity, and leptin levels, are critical predictors of pediatric OSA.
  • Findings highlight the importance of early screening and preventive strategies for children exhibiting these risk factors.
  • Further research is needed to confirm these insights into pediatric OSA etiology.
Abstract

Keywords:
OSAleptinlow birth weightobesitypreterm birth

More Related Videos

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood08:20

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

12.5K
Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm06:35

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

35.0K

Related Concept Videos

Sleep Apnea01:21

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing stops intermittently during sleep, often leading to significant health issues. Each episode can last from 10 to 20 seconds or more and is frequently accompanied by a brief arousal from sleep. This disturbance, largely unnoticed by the individual, can lead to severe daytime fatigue. Commonly, individuals seek help after being informed by their partners about loud snoring and noticeable breathing pauses during sleep.
The condition is more prevalent among...
500
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Childhood01:28

Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Childhood

Erik Erikson, a stage theorist, adapted Freud's theory to emphasize social factors in personality development throughout life, a concept known as psychosocial development. Unlike Freud, who focused on early childhood, Erikson believed that personality evolves across eight life stages, each marked by a specific challenge or "crisis." Successful resolution of each stage fosters competence, while failure may lead to feelings of inadequacy.
The first four of Erikson's eight...
1.0K
Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development from Childhood into Adulthood01:25

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development from Childhood into Adulthood

Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasizes the role of thinking in a child's learning process, suggesting that children are naturally curious about their environment. His approach to development is discontinuous, proposing that cognitive abilities progress through distinct stages, each with unique characteristics. Central to Piaget's theory is schemata—mental structures that allow individuals to understand and interpret the world.
Schemata: Building Blocks of Knowledge
1.5K
Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation

Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
855
Stages of Sleep01:22

Stages of Sleep

Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
1.3K
Understanding Sleep01:11

Understanding Sleep

Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
1.4K