Orofacial myofunctional and polysomnographic characteristics of children with Down syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea: a pilot study.

Purpose: To investigate oropharyngeal structures and functions in a pediatric population with Down Syndrome (DS) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to correlate with the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) and sleep questionnaires.

Methods: 12 Children with DS and OSA, between the age of 4 and 12 years old, underwent polysomnography (PSG); sleep questionnaires, Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18 (OSA-18); and speech-language evaluation using the Short Evaluation of Orofacial Myofunctional Protocol (ShOM).

Results: There was a positive correlation between ShoM higher scores and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and between ShoM and the number of hypopneas.