Snoring in Portuguese Primary School Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective. To determine the prevalence of snoring and its potential associations with sleep problems, such as daytime symptoms, medical conditions, school performance, and behavioral disturbances in Portuguese children attending primary school.Methods. A previously validated questionnaire was sent to the parents of 1381 children attending primary schools in a parish of Coimbra, Portugal. To assess behavioral disturbances, the Portuguese version of Rutter's Children's Behavior Questionnaire for completion by teachers was used.Results. Of the 988 questionnaires returned (71.5%), complete information concerning snoring was obtained for 976 children (496 girls and 480 boys; mean age: 8.1 ؎ 1.5 years). Loud snoring during sleep was reported as frequent or constantly present (LSn) in 84 children (8.6%), as occasionally present in 299 children (30.6%), and as never present (NSn) by 593 children (60.8%). The LSn and NSn groups did not differ with respect to age, gender, sleep duration, time to fall asleep, frequency of night wakings, bedwetting, daytime tiredness, and school achievement. However, LSn was significantly associated with increased bedtime problems (fears and struggles), increased need for comforting activities to fall asleep, behaviors suggestive of parasomnias (sleep talking, teeth grinding, and night terrors), increased daytime sleepiness and irritability, and behavioral disturbances. Children in the LSn group were also more likely to report recurrent medical problems particularly those involving infections of the respiratory tract.Conclusions. Snoring is a common symptom in Portuguese children that is associated with behavioral daytime and sleep time disturbances. Children with loud snoring may benefit from early evaluation and intervention. Pediatrics 2000;106(5). URL: http://www. pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/106/5/e64; snoring, children, epidemiology, sleep patterns, behavior.

A study on the effect of adenoidectomy with tonsillectomy in otitis media with effusion in children

“…Adenotonsillar disease is seen more commonly in low socioeconomic strata. 9 Present study also revealed that majority of cases (17 cases) belonged to the lower class. We found that children from middle class accounted for 15 cases.…”

Clinical Manifestations

“…The estimated prevalence of snoring in children is 3 to 12 percent, while OSA affects 1 to 10 percent. [1][2][3] The majority of these children have mild symptoms, and many outgrow the condition. OSA often results from adenotonsillar hypertrophy, neuromuscular disease, and craniofacial abnormalities.…”

Factor structure of the Rutter Teacher Questionnaire in Portuguese children

“…A previous paper gives full details of methods, which will be summarized here. 12 All 10 schools located in a parish of the city of Coimbra agreed to participate after explaining the aims of the project to all teachers involved in the study. This particular parish was selected because it is the most populous in the city and is considered representative of all social-cultural and economic groups.…”