IADR Abstract Archives
Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children - the Role of General Health and Clinical Oral Findings
Objectives: to investigate whether children screened with SDB via a positive Pediatric Sleep Questionaire (PSQ+) will present different intra and extra oral morphological findings as compared to children with negative PSQ (PSQ-), and to find out which of the anamnesis and clinical examination findings will best predict SDB among children with PSQ+.
Methods: 227 children aged 4-12, completed the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire ( PSQ) and underwent a comprehensive general anamnesis and clinical oral examination. Anamnesis included diagnosed diseases, regular medications, allergies, information about course of pregnancy, childbirth, and oral habits. Oral examination included shape of head and profile, lips competency, temporomandibular joint, oral mucosa, palate and tonsils, tongue (location, tongue tie etc.), floor of the mouth, Angle classification, caries risk and some additional dental diagnoses. Additional classifications collected were Brodsky classification for tonsils and Mallampati classification: a visual assessment of the distance from the tongue base to the roof of the mouth.
Results: 10.6% (N=24) of the children were defined as possibly suffering from SDB while 89.4% (N=203) were not suffering from SDB, according to an accepted PSQ cutoff point. There were significant differences between the two groups with regard to both anamnestic and clinical oral findings. Children with an indication of SDB showed more background diseases (33% vs. 14%, p<0.05), had experienced more surgeries (21% vs. 6%, p<0.05), used more medications for ADHD (17% vs. 3%, p<0.01), had more allergies (17% vs. 3%, p<0.05), showed more developmental delay (29% vs. 6%, p<0.001) more behavioral disorders (29% vs. 7%, p<0.05) and reported more mouth breathing (54% vs. 12% , p<0.000) and snoring (42% vs. 13%, p<0.001). More of the children with SDB were obese as compared to their non-SDB counterparts (21% vs. 6%, p<0.05).
Conclusions: The research shows the importance of a full and comprehensive medical and dental evaluation in young children. Possible deviation(s) in any of the above-mentioned health variables should be considered as a “red flag” for SDB and lead to further evaluation.
Methods: 227 children aged 4-12, completed the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire ( PSQ) and underwent a comprehensive general anamnesis and clinical oral examination. Anamnesis included diagnosed diseases, regular medications, allergies, information about course of pregnancy, childbirth, and oral habits. Oral examination included shape of head and profile, lips competency, temporomandibular joint, oral mucosa, palate and tonsils, tongue (location, tongue tie etc.), floor of the mouth, Angle classification, caries risk and some additional dental diagnoses. Additional classifications collected were Brodsky classification for tonsils and Mallampati classification: a visual assessment of the distance from the tongue base to the roof of the mouth.
Results: 10.6% (N=24) of the children were defined as possibly suffering from SDB while 89.4% (N=203) were not suffering from SDB, according to an accepted PSQ cutoff point. There were significant differences between the two groups with regard to both anamnestic and clinical oral findings. Children with an indication of SDB showed more background diseases (33% vs. 14%, p<0.05), had experienced more surgeries (21% vs. 6%, p<0.05), used more medications for ADHD (17% vs. 3%, p<0.01), had more allergies (17% vs. 3%, p<0.05), showed more developmental delay (29% vs. 6%, p<0.001) more behavioral disorders (29% vs. 7%, p<0.05) and reported more mouth breathing (54% vs. 12% , p<0.000) and snoring (42% vs. 13%, p<0.001). More of the children with SDB were obese as compared to their non-SDB counterparts (21% vs. 6%, p<0.05).
Conclusions: The research shows the importance of a full and comprehensive medical and dental evaluation in young children. Possible deviation(s) in any of the above-mentioned health variables should be considered as a “red flag” for SDB and lead to further evaluation.