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Fatigue and Quality of Life in Children with Hearing Loss or Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Amy L Zhang1, Rebecca Z Lin1, Emma K Landes1

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

The Laryngoscope
|June 2, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Children with hearing loss (HL) or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience increased fatigue and lower quality of life (QOL). Similar cognitive fatigue levels in both groups suggest under-recognized fatigue in children with HL.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Otolaryngology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Audiology

Background:

  • Hearing loss (HL) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are common conditions in children.
  • Fatigue is a significant symptom in many pediatric conditions, but may be under-recognized in children with HL.
  • Understanding the impact of HL and OSA on fatigue is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and compare the fatigue levels in children diagnosed with hearing loss (HL) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
  • To determine if the fatigue experienced by children with HL is under-recognized compared to those with OSA.
  • To assess the impact of these conditions on the quality of life (QOL) in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving children aged 2-18 with HL, OSA, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and healthy controls.
  • Validated questionnaires including the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL MFS), HEAR-QL, and OSA-18 were administered to children and/or their parents.
  • Data were analyzed comparing fatigue and QOL scores between the patient groups and controls.

Main Results:

  • Children with HL or OSA reported significantly higher fatigue levels compared to controls, as measured by the PedsQL MFS (self-reported and parent-reported).
  • Cognitive fatigue levels were similar between children with HL and OSA, suggesting a potential underestimation of fatigue in the HL group.
  • Children with HL and OSA experienced lower disease-related quality of life compared to controls, as indicated by HEAR-QL and OSA-18 scores, respectively.

Conclusions:

  • Both hearing loss (HL) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children are associated with increased fatigue and diminished quality of life (QOL).
  • The comparable levels of cognitive fatigue between children with HL and OSA highlight the need for greater recognition of fatigue as a symptom in pediatric HL.
  • These findings underscore the importance of screening for and managing fatigue in children with HL and OSA to improve overall well-being.
Abstract

Keywords:
childrenfatiguehearing lossobstructive sleep apneaquality of life

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