PARENTAL RESPONSES ABOUT SLEEP?DISORDERED BREATHING IN CHILDREN AND THE ROLE OF PEDODONTIST: A QUESTIONNAIRE?BASED STUDY

Dr. Mohamad Arshid Khanday* and Dr. Nazia Lone

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a potentially disabling disease caused by complete or partial obstruction of the upper airway which is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, disruptive snoring and repetitive episodes of shallow or paused breathing during sleep. It is quite prevalent in adults; however its increased incidence in children is alarming. Aim: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the parental responses about sleep‑disordered breathing (SDB) and its association with mouth breathing (MB) in their children and also highlight the role of pedodontist in early detection of OSA. Methodology: A structured questionnaire consisting of 10 questions was framed. 300 parents who responded to the questionnaire‑based study were included after obtaining their consent. After obtaining their responses, all the questions were evaluated to understand the parental responses to associate their knowledge about sleep disordered breathing of their children with the presence of mouth breathing. Conclusion: Often thought to be due to altered lifestyle (obesity), its prevalence is quite often noticed in 2 to 8 years age group where the tonsils and adenoids are larger than the underlying airway size. Early detection and treating with simple oral appliances can avoid further complications.

Keywords: Adenoid facies, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, mouth breathing,