Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a medical condition in which the patient suffers from repeated episodes of upper airway collapse (which means the patient literally "stops breathing" for a short period of time) during sleep. Although mostly similar, there are some differences between OSA in children and adults.
The common causes of OSA in children are usually enlarged adenoids, nasal allergies, enlarged tonsils and obesity. As the size of adenoid tends to regress with age, enlarged adenoid is not such a common cause in teenagers and adults.
Common symptoms for OSA in children and adults include snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness and inability to focus during the day. Young children may also experience bed-wetting, exhibit behavioural problems (e.g. attention deficit hyperactivty disorder) and growth disturbances. Adults may also experience morning headaches, frequent urination at night and low libido. Adults with OSA may also have a higher risk of heart complications (e.g. high blood pressure, irregular heart beat, heart failure), stroke and diabetes.
The diagnosis of OSA in both children and adults usually requires an overnight sleep study. The treatment of OSA in children most often involves treatment of nasal allergies as well as surgical removal of the tonsil and adenoid (as these are the most common cause). In teenagers and adults, the cause of OSA is often multifactorial. Hence, usually medical treatment such as weight loss (for overweight and obese patients) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy are first line treatments. Surgical treatments such as removal of tonsils and adenoids can be offered if these are the likely cause.
I would suggest an assessment by an ENT Specialist to determine the likely cause of OSA and recommend the most appropriate treatment.
Hope this helps and all the best!
