Use of Sleep Evaluations and Treatments in Children with Down Syndrome.
Anna J Esbensen, Dean W Beebe, Kelly C Byars and 1 others
PMID 27541580WHAT IT FOUND
Less than half of 954 children with Down syndrome had documented sleep studies, and behavioral sleep treatment was rare.
Many children with sleep diagnoses received medication or surgery, but records cannot show whether treatment helped.
Key findings
01Less than half of the 954 children with Down syndrome had a documented sleep study.
02Nearly 60% of children received some sleep treatment, with ENT surgery most common and sleep medication next most common.
03Behavioral sleep treatment with a certified sleep medicine clinician was rare overall, at 2.4%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The records came from one academic pediatric center, so practice patterns may not match other settings. Sleep studies done elsewhere or before the electronic record began may be missing. The study could not assess whether treatments helped or what problem medications targeted. Behavioral sleep treatment outside the center or not labeled as sleep treatment may be undercounted. Some children with no sleep diagnosis received treatments that may have been for other conditions. Only current PAP use was reported, so earlier trials may be missed. The 2011 clinical report fell mid-study, which may affect sleep study records.
Declared interests
The study was supported by NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support. Dr Esbensen served as a consultant to Roche Products.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these records as proof that sleep studies or treatments failed. The study did not measure whether any intervention improved sleep, and some treatments may have been given for other conditions.