New Way to Test Children for Sleep Apnea

Researchers have found that pulse oximetry can be used to identify children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by showing dips in blood oxygen levels.

OSA can cause growth problems and delay development. Symptoms include snoring, difficulty breathing when asleep, and sleep disturbance. Sometime, parents notice the child becomes completely obstructed despite struggling to breathe. Once diagnosed, however, OSA in children can usually be treated by removing the tonsils and adenoids. Conventional diagnosis involves a detailed evaluation and a considerable waiting time. The new method can detect the worst cases of OSA and quickly get them treated.

"This new method of diagnosing sleep apnea and of prioritizing treatment schedules is a significant advance,” said Dr. Robert Brouillette, McGill University Health Center pediatrician and professor of pediatrics at McGill University (Montreal, Canada). Now we can detect, treat, and cure the worst cases of sleep apnea in just a few days where previously children had to wait months, if diagnostic facilities were even available.”




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