Parental Knowledge of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms and Tonsillectomy in Children

Abstract

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is present in approximately 2% to 5% of children; however, only 15% of parents are reported to be knowledgeable about OSA in children. Sleep apnea in children can lead to cardiopulmonary disease, abnormal weight gain, failure to thrive, or learning difficulties. The purpose of our study is to assess parental knowledge of pediatric OSA to identify any knowledge gaps. Study Design: Survey. Setting: Three pediatric otolaryngology clinics associated with a tertiary care children’s hospital in Buffalo, NY. Methods: In June of 2021, parents of pediatric (0-18 years) otolaryngology patients completed a survey on their knowledge of OSA. Parents were asked to rank their concern about OSA and identify symptoms of OSA. Parental demographic data collected included gender, age, race, and educational level. Respondents were asked if their child had undergone a sleep study or tonsillectomy. Results: Of the 246 parents included, 77 (31.4%) parents had a child who had a tonsillectomy, 40 (16.3%) had a child who had a sleep study done, and 25 (10.2%) had a child with both done. For recognizing the symptoms of pediatric OSA the mean was 6.3 (95% CI 5.8-6.8) out of 13 total. Symptoms least likely recognized were nocturnal enuresis and hyperactivity, 65 (27%) and 91 (37%) of parents correctly identifying these symptoms, respectively. Greater concern about OSA correlated with greater cumulative knowledge score ( P < .001). Parents whose child had undergone a tonsillectomy were more likely to be concerned about OSA in children compared to non-tonsillectomy parents ( P = .003), and sleep study parents were also more likely to be concerned about OSA than non-sleep study parents ( P = .045). Conclusion: Parents who attended a pediatric otolaryngology clinic have knowledge gaps about pediatric sleep.