AT leads to significant improvements in indices of sleep-disordered breathing in children. However, residual disease is present in a large proportion of children after AT, particularly among older (>7 yr) or obese children. In addition, the presence of severe OSAS in nonobese children or of chronic asthma warrants post-AT nocturnal polysomnography, in view of the higher risk for residual OSAS.

Neural network-based automated analyses of nSp recordings provide accurate identification of OSA severity among habitually snoring children with a high pretest probability of OSA. Thus, nocturnal oximetry may enable a simple and effective diagnostic alternative to nocturnal polysomnography, leading to more timely interventions and potentially improved outcomes.

During the first year of life, infants spend most of their time in the sleeping state. Assessment of sleep during infancy presents an opportunity to study the impact of sleep on the maturation of the central nervous system (CNS), overall functioning, and future cognitive, psychomotor, and temperament development. To assess what is currently known regarding sleep during infancy and its effects on cognitive, psychomotor, and temperament development, we assessed the relevant literature published over the last several decades. To provide a foundation for a more in-depth understanding of this literature, we preface this with an overview of brain maturation, sleep development, and various assessment tools of both sleep and development during this unique period. At present, we do not have sufficient data to conclude that a causal relationship exists between infant sleep and cognitive, psychomotor, and temperament development. Caution should be used in predicting outcomes, as the timing and subjectivity of evaluations may obviate accurate assessment. Collectively, studies assess a wide array of sleep measures, and findings from one developmental period cannot be generalized readily to other developmental periods. Future studies should follow patients longitudinally. Additionally, refinements of existing assessment tools would be useful. In view of the relatively high reported pediatric prevalence of cognitive and behavioral deficits that carry significant long-term costs to individuals and society, early screening of sleep-related issues may be a useful tool to guide targeted prevention and early intervention.

Revised diagnostic criteria for pediatric RLS have been developed, which are intended to improve clinical practice and promote further research.

Objective Insomnia, especially maintenance insomnia is widely prevalent in epilepsy. Although melatonin is commonly used, limited data address its efficacy. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study to identify the effects of melatonin on sleep and seizure control in children with epilepsy. Methods Eleven pre-pubertal, developmentally normal children aged 6–11 years with epilepsy were randomized by software algorithm to receive placebo or 9 mg sustained release melatonin for 4 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout and 4-week crossover condition. The pharmacy performed blinding; patients, parents and study staff other than a statistician were blinded. Primary outcomes were sleep onset latency and wakefulness after sleep onset (WASO) measured on polysomnography. Secondary outcomes included seizure frequency, epileptiform spike density per hour of sleep on EEG and reaction time measures on psychomotor vigilance task. Statistical tests appropriate for cross-over designs were used for analysis. Results Data were analyzed from ten subjects who completed the study. Melatonin decreased sleep latency (Mean difference (MD): 11.4 min, p= 0.02) and WASO (MD 22 min, p=0.04) as compared to placebo. No worsening of spike density or seizure frequency was seen. Additionally, Slow-wave sleep duration and REM latency were increased with melatonin and REM sleep duration was decreased. These changes were statistically significant. Worsening of headache was noted in one subject with migraine on melatonin. Conclusion Sustained-release melatonin resulted in statistically significant decreases in sleep latency and WASO. No clear effects on seizures were observed but the study was too small to allow any conclusions to be drawn in this regard.

Previous studies have shown that sleep complaints are common in adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, there is very little data on sleep in children and adolescents with CF and the association with severity of lung disease. A prospective study was conducted in CF children and age-matched controls. All patients completed sleep questionnaire and underwent an overnight polysomnographic study. Thirty-eight children and adolescents met the criteria for entry into the analysis, 24 children and adolescents with CF (S) and 14 controls (C). Sleep complaints were common in children and adolescents with CF; 43.5% reported sleep onset problem, 39.1% reported sleep maintenance problem, 30.4% were noted to snore at night, and 73.9% reported daytime sleepiness. Children and adolescents with CF had a significant decrease in sleep efficiency [SE; 75.2 +/- 2.5% (S) vs 85.6 +/- 1.7%(C); P < 0.01], prolonged rapid eye movement (REM) latency [150.5 +/- 16.6 min (S) vs 85.6 +/- 11.0 min (C); P < 0.05], and reduction in percentage of REM sleep [12.7 +/- 1.5% (S) vs 18.3 +/- 1.3% (C); P < 0.05]. The degree of sleep disruption as indicated by SE was correlated with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1); r = 0.52, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between SE and minimum oxygen saturation [r = 0.30, P=not significant (NS)] or SE and maximal end-tidal pCO(2) (r = 0.11, P=NS). It is concluded that children and adolescents with CF have frequent sleep complaints and significant alteration in the sleep architecture. The magnitude of sleep disruption is associated with severity of lung disease, but is not directly correlated with the degree of nocturnal hypoxemia or hypoventilation. It is speculated that sleep disruption in children and adolescents with CF may have an impact on quality of life and clinical outcomes in this population.

4 Laryngoscope, 2016 127:520-524, 2017.

In children, the presence of PLMS is frequently associated with low serum iron and a tendency toward low serum ferritin levels. In addition, iron therapy is associated with clinical improvement in most of these patients.