GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Children with chronic sleep apnea who are unaware of airway blockages while sleeping also have trouble sensing breathing problems when awake.
This discovery was made by joint -research at the Universities of Florida and Pennsylvania and may help to find better ways to treat children who suffer from this life-threatening condition.
The research was published in the February edition of the Journal of Applied Physiology.
Children who have sensory processing deficits are unable to sense a change in their body status, which is a function of the brain.
Researchers are now asking if children with altered perception of symptoms both in sleep and awake can be rehabilitated and will medications be able to improve or cure obstructive sleep apnea in children.
Scientists also found that after tonsils and adenoids were removed in children with obstructive sleep apnea, their ability to sense airway blockages improved.