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Updated: Aug 16, 2026
Multi-Modal Home Sleep Monitoring in Older Adults
Published on: January 26, 2019
Parent and child-reported acceptability and preference of pediatric home sleep apnea testing versus In-lab
Anna Scott1, Christopher M Cielo2,3, Melissa Xanthopoulos2,4
1St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Insights
Home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) with encephalogram (EEG) is feasible for diagnosing pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Parents preferred HSAT over in-lab polysomnography (PSG), though sensor adjustments were common.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Diagnostic Technologies
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- In-lab polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard for diagnosing pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Limited availability of PSG necessitates exploring alternatives like home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) with encephalogram (EEG).
- Parent and child acceptability of HSAT versus PSG remains largely unexamined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate parent and child acceptability and preferences for HSAT compared to PSG in children.
- To identify factors influencing the acceptance of HSAT in a pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study involving 15 children (aged 2-17.9 years) who underwent both PSG and HSAT with EEG within one week.
- Parents and older children completed questionnaires on feasibility, acceptability, and sleep disturbances.
- A structured phone interview with parents assessed their experience and preferences.
Main Results:
- HSAT was feasible and doable for 100% and 92.8% of parents, respectively.
- 79% of parents and 87.5% of children reported liking HSAT; 60% of parents preferred HSAT over PSG.
- Parents frequently adjusted HSAT sensors (nasal cannula, pulse oximeter), but most did not find it bothersome.
Conclusions:
- HSAT is a feasible diagnostic option for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea.
- Parents showed a preference for HSAT over PSG, but children's preference was not as strong.
- Improvements in sensor stability, particularly for the nasal cannula and pulse oximeter, could enhance HSAT acceptability in children.
Objectives:
In-lab polysomnography (PSG) remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but its limited availability has prompted the exploration of home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) with encephalogram (EEG) in children. While the feasibility and accuracy of HSAT have been studied previously in children, parent- and child-reported acceptability and preferences of HSAT compared with PSG are unknown. We aimed to evaluate factors influencing parent and child acceptability and preference of HSAT versus PSG.
Methods:
In this pilot study children aged 2-17.9 years completed PSG and comprehensive HSAT with EEG within one week of each other. Parents and older children completed questionnaires assessing feasibility, acceptability, sleep disturbances, and their preference of the two tests. A single structured phone interview with the parent was conducted one day after all study procedures, using ten open-ended questions.
Results:
Fifteen children participated and all completed testing. HSAT was reported to be feasible by 15 (100%) and doable by 14 (92.8%) parents. Seventy-nine percent of parents and 87.5% children liked the HSAT. HSAT was accepted by 79% of parents and 75% of the children. Overall, 60% of parents and 33% of children preferred HSAT over PSG. During HSAT, 64.3% of the parents needed to adjust sensors, mostly the nasal cannula (42.9%) and the pulse oximeter (66.7%). However, the majority did not find this bothersome.
Conclusion:
HSAT was feasible in children and preferred over PSG by parents but not children. During HSAT, children frequently had to have the sensors adjusted by parents. HSAT has the potential to be more widely acceptable if there is improvement to the stability of the nasal cannula and pulse oximeter.
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