Crouzon Syndrome - Breathing Problems

Breathing Problems

Due to the underdevelopment of the jaw structures, many patients can develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Patients with obstructive sleep apnea can experience respiratory depression and decreased oxygenation during sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to:

Daytime sleepiness
Poor sleep patterns
Inability to concentrate
An overall negative effect on the child’s growth and development

In the long-term, obstructive sleep apnea can also lead to:

hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension
Other cardiac disease such as heart failure

Thus, it is important to ensure proper treatment including surgery to allow opening of the airways, and in many cases, patients will need to use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask during sleep on a long-term basis.