Autonomic cardiovascular control is unaffected in children referred for assessment of excessive daytime sleepiness.

There is conflicting evidence for impaired autonomic control of heart rate (HR) in adults with narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnolence (IH). Despite these chronic hypersomnia conditions primarily being diagnosed around the age of puberty, there are limited studies in children. The present study investigated cardiovascular control using heart rate variability (HRV) and the extent of nocturnal HR dipping during sleep in children and adolescents with narcolepsy and IH.

Sleep Disturbance in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and the Relationship to the Neurodevelopmental Profile.

Objective: Sleep disturbance is an important feature of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). We sought to describe sleep patterns in school-aged children with FASD, in comparison with a typically developing community group, and investigate the relationship between sleep and neurodevelopmental profiles.

Method: The FASD cohort (N = 36) was recruited from a tertiary Australian FASD diagnostic center, and the typically developing group (N = 36) was previously recruited as a control cohort for a separate study.

Periodic limb movements during sleep in children with neuromuscular disease or cerebral palsy - An important potential contributor to sleep-related morbidity.

Objectives: Poor sleep is frequently reported in children with neuromuscular diseases (NMD) and cerebral palsy (CP) however breathing disorders during sleep are often the clinical focus. Periodic limb movements (PLMs) have an increased prevalence in adults with NMD and may contribute to sleep disturbance in this population. We assessed the prevalence of PLMs in children with NMD or CP.

The surge in heart rate and blood pressure at respiratory event termination is dampened in children with down syndrome.

Background: Children with Down syndrome (DS) have a high prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and altered cardiovascular autonomic control. We aimed to analyze the effect of DS on the surge in heart rate (HR) and pulse transit time (PTT, an inverse surrogate measure of blood pressure change) at respiratory event termination.

Methods: 44 children (3-19 y) with DS and 44 typically developing (TD) children matched for SDB severity, age and sex underwent overnight polysomnography.

Kangaroo mother care improves cardiorespiratory physiology in preterm infants: an observational study.

Objectives: To evaluate whether kangaroo mother care (KMC) in preterm infants on non-invasive respiratory support improves indices of cardiorespiratory wellbeing.

Study Design: Prospective quasi-experimental observational study.

Setting: Tertiary perinatal neonatal unit.

Effect of sleep disordered breathing severity in children with Down syndrome on parental wellbeing and social support.

Introduction: Sleep disorders, particularly sleep disordered breathing (SDB), are common in children with Down syndrome (DS). We investigated the relationship between SDB severity and parental psychological wellbeing and their perception of social support.

Methods: 44 children with DS (3-19 years) underwent overnight polysomnography and were categorised into three groups: primary snoring, Mild and Moderate/Severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

The impact of intranasal corticosteroids in a prospective cohort of children with sleep disordered breathing.

Introduction: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is common in children and the most common reason for adenotonsillectomy. This large observational cohort study from a specialist outpatient clinic describes the impact of intranasal steroids (INS) on symptom improvement and the need for surgery.

Method: Observational cohort study of 568 children assessing the impact of INS using the OSA-5 questionnaire with clinical and surgical outcome measures.

Improvement in quality of life with continuous positive airway pressure outweighs the treatment burden in children with obstructive sleep apnea.

Introduction: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may pose a significant burden on families. We assessed the impact of CPAP for children on quality of life (QOL) and caregiver treatment burden.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of children commencing outpatient CPAP in a specialist sleep centre 2020-2022.

Is there a role for repeating the multiple sleep latency test across childhood when initially non-diagnostic?

Background: The gold standard investigation for central disorders of hypersomnolence is the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT). As the clinical features of these disorders of hypersomnolence evolve with time in children, clinicians may consider repeating a previously non-diagnostic MSLT. Currently there are no guidelines available regards the utility and timing of repeating paediatric MSLTs.

Sleepy Kids: are the current diagnostic criteria for multiple sleep latency tests enough?

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is common in childhood and is currently quantified using adult criteria on a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). This study aimed to describe paediatric MSLT results, particularly focussing on a previously proposed alternative mean sleep latency (MSL) threshold for children of 12 min, and assess the impact of a 5th nap. We performed a retrospective analysis of MSLTs at a single paediatric centre from 2004 to 2021.

Core outcomes and factors influencing the experience of care for children with severe acute exacerbations of asthma: a qualitative study.

Objective: To identify the outcomes considered important, and factors influencing the patient experience, for parents and caregivers of children presenting to hospital with a severe acute exacerbation of asthma. This work contributes to the outcome-identification process in developing a core outcome set (COS) for future clinical trials in children with severe acute asthma.

Design: A qualitative study involving semistructured interviews with parents and caregivers of children who presented to hospital with a severe acute exacerbation of asthma.

Sleep spindles are reduced in children with Down syndrome and sleep-disordered breathing.

Background: Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at increased risk of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). We investigated sleep spindle activity, as a marker of sleep quality, and its relationship with daytime functioning in children with DS compared to typically developing (TD) children.

Methods: Children with DS and SDB (n = 44) and TD children matched for age, sex and SDB severity underwent overnight polysomnography.

Cortical grey matter changes, behavior and cognition in children with sleep disordered breathing.

This paper investigated cortical thickness and volumetric changes in children to better understand the impact of obstructive sleep disordered breathing (SDB) on the neurodevelopment of specific regions of the brain. We also aimed to investigate how these changes were related to the behavioral and cognitive deficits observed in the condition. Neuroimaging, behavioral, and sleep data were obtained from 30 children (15 non-snoring controls, 15 referred for assessment of SDB) aged 7 to 17 years.

Acute paediatric asthma treatment in the prehospital setting: a retrospective observational study.

Objectives: To describe the incidence of and patterns of 'escalated care' (care in addition to standard treatment with systemic corticosteroids and inhaled bronchodilators) for children receiving prehospital treatment for asthma.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Setting: State-wide ambulance service data (Ambulance Victoria in Victoria, Australia, population 6.

Follow-up of children with Down syndrome and sleep disordered breathing and the effects of treatment on actigraphically recorded sleep, quality of life, behaviour, and daytime functioning.

Children with Down syndrome are at increased risk of obstructive sleep disordered breathing, which has deleterious effects on daytime functioning. We aimed to examine the effects of treatment of sleep disordered breathing on sleep quality and daytime functioning in children with Down syndrome, and hypothesised that these would be improved. Thirty-four children completed a baseline study and a follow-up 2 years later.

Assessing sleep in children with Down syndrome: Comparison of parental sleep diaries, actigraphy and polysomnography.

Background: This study compared measurements of sleep and wake assessed with actigraphy, sleep diary and polysomnography in children with Down syndrome (DS) and also compared measures of actigraphic sleep recording in children with DS and typically developing (TD) children.

Methods: Children with DS aged 3-19 years (N = 44) referred for assessment of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) underwent overnight polysomnography, together with 1 week of actigraphy with sleep diary. Actigraphy data from the children with DS were compared with data collected from TD children, matched for age and sex.

Sleep disordered breathing improvement prevents worsening of autonomic dysfunction in children with Down syndrome.

Background: Resolution of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in typically developing children normalises heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of autonomic control, to that of non-snoring controls. Children with Down Syndrome (DS) have dampened heart rate variability (HRV) but the effect of treatment is not known. To assess the effect of improvement of SDB on autonomic control we compared HRV in children with DS whose SDB improved over 2 y, to those whose SDB did not improve.

Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control study.

Objectives: The association between helminthiasis and asthma remains inconclusive but can only be investigated in counties where helminthiasis is transitioning from a high to low burden. We investigated this association using data from a childhood respiratory cohort in Sri Lanka.

Methods: A case-control study was nested within a population-based cohort of children aged 6-14 years in Sri Lanka.

The effects of sleep disordered breathing on sleep spindle activity in children and the relationship with sleep, behavior and neurocognition.

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep disordered breathing (SDB), has adverse neurocognitive and behavioral sequelae in children, despite conventional measures of sleep disruption being unaffected. There is growing evidence that sleep spindles may serve as a more sensitive marker of sleep quality. We investigated the relationship between sleep spindles and sleep fragmentation and neurocognition across the spectrum of SDB severity in children.