Improving Health Communication About Recognizing Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Associated with Down Syndrome
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most prevalent chromosomal disorder in which an extra copy of chromosome 21 disrupts the development of intellectual abilities. Every year, 6,000 babies in the United States are born with DS, which is approximately 1 in every 700 babies (Aagarwal et al., 2019). Their unique physical manifestations place them at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition in which repeated blockage of the upper airway causes difficulty breathing during sleep (Olson et al., 2011). Nearly 80% of children with DS are afflicted with OSA compared to only 2-5% of the general pediatric population (Chamseddin et al., 2019). The behavioral effects of DS, such as irritability and poor concentration, may show undiagnosed OSA (Ehsan et al., 2018). The strong correlation between OSA and cardiovascular complications increases the likelihood of nocturnal sudden cardiac arrest by 2.57-fold compared to the general population (Adabag et al., 2019). Common signs of OSA include snoring, restlessness during sleep, night waking, and daytime tiredness. Manifestations of OSA, such as cognitive impairment and cardiovascular disease, are common in the DS population, and this can obscure the diagnosis of OSA. Because signs of OSA are often correlated with sleep behaviors, caregivers must communicate all behavioral changes to their child’s clinician. In collaboration with the Sudden Cardiac-death Awareness Research Foundation (SCARF), the scope of this project is to identify the barriers to effective health communication between caregivers and clinicians regarding OSA symptoms. Effective health communication can mitigate risk factors associated with pediatric OSA.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Maria Montoya
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-6-2021 12:00 PM
End Date
4-9-2021 12:00 PM
Improving Health Communication About Recognizing Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Associated with Down Syndrome
Alvin Sherman Library
Down syndrome (DS) is the most prevalent chromosomal disorder in which an extra copy of chromosome 21 disrupts the development of intellectual abilities. Every year, 6,000 babies in the United States are born with DS, which is approximately 1 in every 700 babies (Aagarwal et al., 2019). Their unique physical manifestations place them at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition in which repeated blockage of the upper airway causes difficulty breathing during sleep (Olson et al., 2011). Nearly 80% of children with DS are afflicted with OSA compared to only 2-5% of the general pediatric population (Chamseddin et al., 2019). The behavioral effects of DS, such as irritability and poor concentration, may show undiagnosed OSA (Ehsan et al., 2018). The strong correlation between OSA and cardiovascular complications increases the likelihood of nocturnal sudden cardiac arrest by 2.57-fold compared to the general population (Adabag et al., 2019). Common signs of OSA include snoring, restlessness during sleep, night waking, and daytime tiredness. Manifestations of OSA, such as cognitive impairment and cardiovascular disease, are common in the DS population, and this can obscure the diagnosis of OSA. Because signs of OSA are often correlated with sleep behaviors, caregivers must communicate all behavioral changes to their child’s clinician. In collaboration with the Sudden Cardiac-death Awareness Research Foundation (SCARF), the scope of this project is to identify the barriers to effective health communication between caregivers and clinicians regarding OSA symptoms. Effective health communication can mitigate risk factors associated with pediatric OSA.
