Complex Obstructive Sleep Apnea Center

Conditions We Treat

Conditions Treated

We treat kids of all ages with complex obstructive sleep apnea or persistent OSA. This type of OSA doesn’t go away after removing enlarged tonsils or adenoids. Our team also helps children whose underlying conditions cause OSA. These conditions can include:

• Craniofacial abnormalities, such as:
  • Achondroplasia
  • Cleft palate
  • Laryngomalacia
  • Small mandible syndrome (micrognathia)
  • Pierre Robin sequence
• Down syndrome
• Infants with complex airway issues or sleep problems
• Obesity
• Skeletal dysplasia

We also work closely with the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) specialists to care for newborns born with sleep apnea.

Our Treatment Approach

We take a team approach to treating obstructive sleep apnea. That means your child’s treatment plan will include input from a variety of sleep medicine specialists. This approach allows us to provide more comprehensive and effective treatment.

The team includes:

• Nurse care coordinators
• Dietitians
• Developmental pediatricians
• ENT surgeons
• Geneticists
• Plastic surgeons
• Pulmonologists
• Radiologists
• Researchers, including aerospace engineers
• Sleep physicians
• Social workers

Our team approach includes weekly case conferences. During these conferences, the entire team meets to talk about patient cases and collaborate on treatments.

The type of treatment we use will depend on your child’s symptoms and health history. For some children with craniofacial abnormalities, surgery may be the best approach for treatment. If we determine your child needs surgery, we have a team of ENT and plastic surgeons who specialize in treating sleep problems.

In some cases, your child may need different kinds of treatment for OSA. Treatments can include:

• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or oxygen supplementation
• Hypoglossal nerve stimulation
• Medication
• ENT surgeries
• Plastic surgeries