Pediatria pre prax 6/2007

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF SNORING IN CHILDREN

Snoring is a result of partial obstruction of upper respiratory tract during sleep. This obstruction could be small and produce only sound phenomenon (benign snoring). In case of bigger obstruction, there is an increased inspiratory effort, which is compensated with increased negative intrathoracal pressure with inspiratory flow limitation (upper airway resistance syndrome), what is the reason of interrupted sleep. If the obstruction of upper respiratory airways gets serious, hypoventilation and recurrent complete obstruction of upper airway begin (obstructive sleep apnea syndrome). It can disturb not only sleep but also the development of child and it can have a serious consequences. The reasons of snoring are different. The most important is ENT and endoscopic examination, to find obstruction of upper airway. The full night pulsoximetry is the method of choice to confirm hypoxia. It is possible to differentiate benign snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with polysomnography.

Keywords: snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.