Sleep Disorders May be Misdiagnosed as Attention Deficit Disorder

Children who suffer from poor school performance, memory lapses and behavioral problems may have a relatively common and treatable sleep disorder, report Texas Children’s Hospital specialists.

“Sleep disorders may be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as other problems, such as attention deficit disorder,” said Daniel G. Glaze, M.D., medical director of the Texas Children’s Sleep Center and associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine.

“Children may act out in ways that resemble hyperactivity when they just aren’t getting enough sleep.”

Sleep disorders in children are a fairly new area of treatment; therefore, many pediatricians and parents are unaware of the signs and symptoms of sleep problems.

A common sleep disorder in children and teens is sleep apnea, in which the airway is obstructed, resulting in constant interruptions in breathing and sleep.

About 10 to 15 percent of children in the United States suffer from sleep disordered breathing, and 2 to 3 percent of children have sleep apnea, which may be cured once enlarged tonsils are removed.

Symptoms of sleep apnea include interrupted breathing and snoring. Children with these symptoms may have school problems, poor memory and hyperactivity. In fact, many children who seem hyper aren’t getting enough sleep and may move around trying to stay awake, Glaze said.

Teenagers are at risk for sleep apnea, and they may suffer from a general lack of sleep that can lead to a drop in grades and a higher risk of auto accidents.

“Teens are notoriously active, balancing school activities, jobs and social lives,” Glaze said. “Teens need nine to 10 hours of sleep, but think they can get by on as little as six hours. However, lack of sleep has a negative impact on anyone.”

At the Texas Children’s Sleep Center, specialists diagnose sleep disorders by taking a careful sleep history to identify children who need overnight monitoring in the sleep laboratory. Monitoring includes recording of brain activity, breathing effort and airflow, oxygen intake and extremity movement.

“The key to managing sleep problems is awareness,” Glaze said. “Once a sleep disorder is diagnosed, it usually can be managed with medication, lifestyle changes or surgery in the case of childhood sleep apnea. When sleep is managed properly, both the patient and the family experience a greatly improved quality of life.”

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